Trust Me
by MSCIBET
Summary: Lex Promised Chloe he'd protect her how far will he go for her? CHLEX.CLOIS.Lionel. First fanfic I've written since L&C in the 90's. COMPLETE!
1. BOOM You're Dead

**Title:** Trust Me  
**Rating:** M  
**Category:** Drama, Romance  
**Content:** Chlex, some Clois  
**Summary:** Continuation of what happens when Chloe goes into hiding, protected by Lex from Lionel. This is a work in progress and sometimes writes itself, so I'm not exactly sure where it's going yet.

**Spoilers:** Rewrite of S4, S5, S6

**Disclaimer:** Smallville and all its characters are owned by people who are not me. No profit is made and no infringement is intended.  
**A/N – **Well, Lana doesn't exist except in a few moments about what's she's doing in Paris, where she stays. And since I have never been able to write just about specifically two characters, everyone in Smallville seems to pop up in this story somewhere along the way. So instead of the whole S4 stones arc (which I still yet to understand), I give you what I feel is a much more compelling S4 and beyond.

Chapter 1 - BOOM, You're Dead.

Chloe never did really trust him. He was the son of the man who fired her father and put her hometown in jeopardy of a disaster more than once. But this time she had to trust him. Now, at seventeen she was hoping he could really protect her and her father. The sly look of the FBI agent in the passenger seat said otherwise.

As Gabe opened the door, he motioned for Chloe to come and look around the house. She glanced at her father and crookedly smiled then screamed as armed camo laden men grabbed the two and shoved them down a set of stairs. All she could understand were the words, "run," over and over again as two men commenced to practically dragging her faster down the very long, dark hallway.

Stopping suddenly, one of the men said dryly, "stay here," as he signaled for another to wait with the Sullivans. Chloe looked at her dad and didn't speak – she didn't know if she could. After sitting for an hour, she couldn't resist.

"Um, what are we doing down here – what happened to the safe house?" Gabe sat quietly, hoping his daughter would not start her inquisition at the moment. The two continued to squint and look around. The light sticks from the armed men were the only light but the ground was soft like mud and cold. Unsatisfied by her lack of response, she tried again. "Where are …"

Distracted, Chloe stopped talking and watched as another brighter set of lights came down the tunnel. Between two of the heavily armed men walked a man dressed to the point he blended in with the darkness of the background. Chloe and her father both stood up and stared as the figure came closer.

Handing his light to one of the armed men, he softly said, "Chloe," as he hugged her and then shook Gabe's hand. "I'm glad that they got you out safe before the house went up."

He could see the look on her face and knew she was in shock but hugged her again to reassure her of his promise. "I promised nothing would happen to you."

Lex. He really did _save_ her and Gabe. "You knew your father was setting us up to die and you're … here," she trailed off as she hugged him back.

Leaning back on his heels, Lex slowly pulled her arms from around him and turned to look at Gabe. "I knew what my father was capable of doing and planned on this particular house for this reason. The tunnel system is old and fragile, but much better than your demise. We unfortunately have a long way to go before your new identities can be revealed so we must move." He motioned to two armed men to proceed ahead while he walked with Chloe and her father. The three didn't speak, but the pat on the back that Gabe gave Lex and the very slight squeeze of Lex's hand by Chloe told Lex he had to take care of them.


	2. Forgotten

Chapter 2 – Forgotten

Three Months Later…

"Lex, this is a surprise." Chloe looked genuinely shocked as she opened the door of her new apartment.

"I thought I would drop by and see how things are going while I was in town." Lex sauntered into the room, sliding his hand along all the post-modern furniture that Chloe had picked out with his money. Sitting down, he smiled, "I guess you have really made yourself at home."

"You said that I could and judging by the number of appeals that your father is going through, I'm going to be here awhile now." Chloe turned and walked into the kitchen, "you want a drink?"

"Whatever, I've sort of lost my taste for alcohol since dear old dad tried to kill me with it," he smirked as Chloe handed him a glass of juice and sat down in the chair beside his.

"I heard about that. Are you ok?"

"Yes, we Luthors obviously can't be killed that easily. But I didn't come here for your pity. Actually, I was interested in knowing how you and dad are getting on. I'm really sorry about having to split you two up but its better this way – at least you're just across town from each other." Lex sat his glass down and looked over at Chloe who seemed to hang on his every word, sure she waiting for a juicy story about his poisoning.

"Oh, dad likes his new place – traditional and all. I saw him a couple of weeks ago and we still talk all the time on the phone. He really has meant to thank you for the new job and school as I am," Chloe stopped a moment and looked at the floor and then up at Lex. "Funny," she laughed embarrassingly, "I used to think you didn't care about people, just profits."

Lex leaned back into the sofa and rubbed his chin, nodding his head. "You are really think of me as that callous?" He waited for a response but Chloe was speechless, realizing she had just insulted everything he was doing for them. "I had figured that with everything that we had gone through you would have learned to trust me a little."

"I do, I just…" Chloe stopped knowing she had to eat her words. "Anyway, how is everything back in Smallville?"

"I'm sure not quite as exciting as working at the _Dallas Morning News_." He smiled knowing it wasn't the Daily Planet but something to keep her sane while hiding out. "Actually, things are interesting. Lana has decided to stay in Paris. I warned her that the draw of the city would keep her. She's met some American and has decided to have a go of a life there. You could always tell she wanted more than what Smallville had to offer."

"And Clark?"

Lex slightly sucked on his teeth and pressed his lips together. _Of course she asks about him._ "Well, he is still not speaking to me so we're not exactly keeping tabs on each other. Although," closed his eyes, knowing he was going to regret it. "He misses you. He was a wreck at your funeral."

Chloe dropped her head into her hands, "I wish there had been another way." She felt Lex take her hands in his. Looking up at him, she whispered, "I just feel forgotten."

Leaning in closer, Lex whispered, "You won't ever be forgotten. Besides, based on your calculations, I should be the first person to forget you." He laughed when Chloe looked at him and giggled. Lex sat up and gently slapped her knee, "I have to go but I'll see you soon where you won't feel forgotten."

Chloe walked behind him and met him at the doorway. Lex smiled and walked out. "Lex." He stopped and turned around. "Thanks." Cocking his head to one side, he didn't answer but just gave Chloe the businessman wave goodbye.

* * *

Clark sat in front of Chloe's grave yet again waiting for some kind of answer. _She's not dead- I can feel it. _

"Damn shame isn't it?" He had heard that voice before. He stood up and turned around with a look of anger. "I know you miss her – I do too, but pining doesn't bring her back."

"Surprised to see you here. But I guess it makes sense you were supposed to protect her and failed miserably." Clark knocked Lex in the shoulder as he walked past him.

"Clark, this was not my fault."

Clark stopped and walked back to him, "No she was just a pawn that died during a chess match. You have this amazing way to ruin everything around me. You investigate me and blow our friendship, send Lana to France and now she's not coming back, almost get my best friend killed and he moves, and manage to kill my other best friend."

Looking right at Clark, Lex was livid. _I get blamed for everything._ "Clark, I'm sorry about Chloe and Pete and I have told you repeatedly that the curiosity got the best of me and it's behind me, but Lana _chose _to leave and then chose to stay there. You know that, so quit taking your damned romantic frustrations out on me." He looked down at the flowers for Chloe's grave that he had brought. He laid them gently down and turned to look at Clark. Walking over to Clark, he gently grabbed his arm and lowered his voice, "I miss her too – she had … spunk. But Clark, she's gone, not forgotten."

Walking away, Lex watched as Clark obviously started to cry. It killed him that he couldn't tell him she was ok and well taken care of. Turning back from the car, he called, "come on, it's starting to rain - I'll give you a ride home."

Clark got in the passenger seat and rode silently back to the farm, never once looking in Lex's direction.

Clark walked into the Torch the next morning with a weird sense of closure. He hadn't felt it at the funeral but somehow Lex's words made her death more real. And he was right. The one Clark should be truly angry with was already in prison and tried to kill Lex also.

Clark sat down at the computer and waited for it to boot up. He had been instructed to clean off her files after completing the memorial issue. Being the first week of school, the school itself had not had complete closure for their resident writer. Staring at the Pagemaker, he couldn't type. "I can't do this."

"How about starting with something like 'Chloe Sullivan will be remembered for knowing everyone's business but hers." Clark turned and looked behind her at the pretty brunette that had leaned over his shoulder. Spinning his chair around, he was confused.

"Lois Lane, Chloe's cousin." Lois held her hand out to shake his. "I was sent her to pick up some of her belongings here and at her home, the old one." She sat a box on the desk and proceeded to clean out drawers and pull articles off the walls.

"Wait," Clark grabbed her hand, "you can't just clean this place out. It's part of her legacy. And being the one who's now in charge of the Torch, I want this stuff here." The young woman looked at him and smirked while continuing load up different stacks of computer cds. Clark continued to pull things out of the box as fast as she put them there.

Lois snapped around and grabbed his hand, "look, I know in some high school crush sort of way that you want this stuff around, but she's my family and these were my instructions. So hands off." She grabbed the box and continued putting things in it while keeping her firm grip on the box. She stopped and watched as he sat and scowled at her. "So what's your name Jethro?"

"Clark Kent, not Jethro," he dryly answered as he rolled his eyes. He proceeded to go back to looking at the computer. Lois continued to load up two more boxes and started pushing them toward the door.

"Well, Clark Kent if you would like to have help with your issue, I have some family tidbits I'll trade you if you help me with this stuff to my car." Clark huffed but proceeded to stack two boxes and followed the woman out to her car.

Getting in the driver's seat, she looked at him, "I'll be back in a couple of hours once school is out and help you. Nice meeting you Jethro." She smiled as she sent the car into reverse and sped off.


	3. The City Girl

Chapter 3 – The City Girl

"Hey Sarah, I really could use some help on the AP Physics assignment tonight. You meet me at the corner coffeehouse about 8?" Chloe fumbled with binders in her locker before leaving for the Morning News.

"Sure, you think this time you can actually get out of work on time though. I'm not up to waiting on you so much this time."

Chloe looked back and laughed, "Yeah, I don't see how working a classifieds department becomes such a passion." Sarah laughed at her as the two walked out of the front doors of the Greenhill. Lex had set her up well. She never imagined ever getting this kind of education in Smallville. She could tell he was preparing for more than just a dungeon job at some second rate paper, especially after finding out the money being put down for her tuition.

As Chloe got in her car, she yelled across the parking lot, "I'll be on time – I promise."

Driving across town, she repeatedly switched channels on the radio, not finding anything that satisfied her mood. It had been almost a month since she had seen Lex although he still checked in on her once a week by phone. She always got excited about his calls – maybe the familiar voice or hearing news from home. She never missed a Sunday night at home just to make sure she didn't miss him.

She thought about Clark. She wondered how he was and whether he ever thought about her. Lex didn't talk about him, so there was no news. She had tried to find out what in the world Lex, the Lex that saved her, did to anger Clark to the point he did, but never pressed Lex for the issue.

"Good afternoon Ms. Jenkins," the good looking rent-a-cop opened the gate to the Morning News parking lot.

"Hey Roy." She loved flirting with him. He was cute but not interesting to talk to past five minutes. She had tried. In fact, the only person that she could hold a conversation of any interest for a long time with was Lex. Some nights when she could tell he was stressed, she would let him ramble on about some weird piece of sculpture he bought for hours but somehow made it fascinating.

_Lex. Wish you would call – I want to talk to someone. Yeah, right Chloe – telekinesis really works._

Chloe giggled as she got her things and got out of the car.

* * *

"Classifieds," Chloe snapped on the phone as she typed on her desktop.

"Yeah, I need to run an ad for a car I'm selling. It's a 2001 Porsche I don't drive anymore." The man on the other end of the line waited for a reply.

"Well, we can run a 30 letter ad for two weeks at $75, but why would you sell a car like that through the…" Chloe stopped and rolled her eyes, "Lex – calling me at work?" She could hear him laugh on the other end of the line.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be in town this weekend and hoped to see you – that is if school and work aren't too taxing. Besides it looks as if your Medieval History could use a brush up."

Chloe's eyes got wider and irritated, "You've been following up on my grades?"

"Let's just say taking care of my investment. Besides, the subject matter is one of my best." She could tell that Lex was proud of himself, but she didn't seem to mind.

_Studying with Lex; this could get interesting. _

"Ok, fine. I'll be at home this weekend actually writing a paper for that class. I'll email you the synopsis if you could pull some resources. Just let me know when you're coming."

"Jenkins, there's two other calls for you….get off the phone," the dungeon editor barked.

"Work is never done. I'll talk to you later." She smiled and started typing up her email to Lex while answering the rest of her calls.

_He called. Wow, that was weird._

Chloe left work that night and went onto meet Sarah. She was surprised how much she had learned to enjoy the late nights in the city. She remembered small moments from Metropolis when she was younger but couldn't take advantage of it.

_I could enjoy this life. Wonder if I'll ever go back to Smallville. This is starting to fit._

Her brain kept rambling but was disturbed by a knock on the window.

"Hey, are we going to study or are you going to stare at the steering wheel all night?" She had completely forgotten she had parked while she was musing.

"Yeah, I'll be right in." Chloe grabbed her stuff up and ran into the coffeehouse for a late night study session. She was truly turning into the city girl she always wanted to be.


	4. Least Expected

Chapter 4 - Least Expected

Chloe had worked all afternoon to clean up her apartment. Living alone as a high school student had taught her that there is a reason people that have maids do.

_Lex. _She giggled knowing Lex had never had pick up anything for himself. _Wonder if he could do laundry if he had to. Or cook. Then again why would you want to if you didn't have to. _

"Disturbing you?" Chloe looked up from the spot she obviously had been dusting for about a minute. Lex walked across the room and mused, "looks clean, shines better than my head."

"Sorry, I was, never mind." Chloe peeled her gloves off and put away the cleaning products. She felt embarrassed that Lex saw her looking like she did. Coming around the corner, she noticed Lex thumbing through a couple of books he had brought her. "I need a shower if you have time to wait."

"Go, I'm just going to read through your paper and get some Chloe insight on the Abelard and Heloise."

_Why would you pick something so completely out there. Chloe, the Crusades – easy, but not for you. _

Lex could hear the shower start as he sat down proceeding to read the most interesting paper on the first documented love letter ever written.

_Interesting topic – kind of a reach for a romantic novel._

"Hello," Lex put down the paper and started pacing the floor like he often did on the phone, "repeat that please…" He paused. "They are sure of natural causes? Thank you. I'll call you with directions later. No press – no obit." Lex hung up his phone and sat down at Chloe's dining room table.

"Hey Lex, you want to order something in or go out real quick, I'm starved," Chloe called from the closed bedroom. She waited for an answer and didn't get one. She walked out to see Lex sitting at her table, fingers intertwined in a clenched fist under his chin. "Lex," she spoke softly, "what is it?"

"Chloe, come sit down." He took Chloe's hand as she stared at him. Looking Chloe straight in the eyes, he paused and then finished, "your father passed away this afternoon. They just called me and."

Chloe let go of Lex's hand and walked across the room. She turned to face Lex and started sobbing profusely.

"Chloe, he had a heart attack – no foul play – they think he went while napping. Chloe." Lex turned and leapt out of the chair just in time to catch Chloe in his arms before she hit the floor. She just shook and cried. Leaning her head up against his chest, he pushed her hair out her face and continued to rub her head to console her, "let it out."

Chloe couldn't remember getting to the bedroom the night before. She still could feel herself shaking. Moving to the bathroom, she looked in the mirror and saw her bloodshot eyes. A bottle of pills lying on the counter told her that she must have taken a relaxer the night before. She was still dressed in the clothes from the afternoon before. She leaned against the bathroom wall and continued to cry.

_Now my dad is gone. There's no one now. _She paused and listened.

_Lex – is he still here? _

She washed her face and walked out into the living room, seeing Lex in the kitchen – cooking.

_Guess he can if he has to._

"Morning, feeling any better?" He looked at her in sadness, he knew the question didn't quite come out right, but words escaped him at the moment.

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks for you know everything – where'd you sleep?" He pointed at the blanket and pillow he had stolen out of the closet.

"Uncomfortable as hell. You test your furniture before you buy it?" He knew it wasn't funny but was trying to get her to smile at least once.

Chloe cracked enough of a smile for Lex to see her teeth just slightly. Sitting down at the table, she started thumbing through the stack of documents with her father's name on them.

_Life Insurance, Mortgage, Stock Portfolio, Will, Credit Card statements – I can't do this _

Lex picked up the papers in front of her and set them on the coffee table. Walking back by her, he rubbed her back to help soothe her. He returned a couple minutes later, putting breakfast on the table. Sitting down across from her, he looked at her matter-of-factly, "eat."

"I can't believe he's gone; I want to see him."

"You will; they're prepping him for burial." Lex reached out to touch her hand and reassure her.

"Burial? Here?" Lex shook his head.

"It's already in the works; you're going home for the funeral. It'll be a short trip and only you, I, and a preacher but he needs to buried in Smallville."

Knowing that Lex was taking huge steps for her, she whimpered, "thank you," as she walked around the table to hug him. "But I don't know anything about…" She pointed at the papers on the table. Lex pointed at her plate.

"You eat and I'll talk." He waited until she sat down. "The bills are taken care of; credit cards closed. Your father had left a small sum of money in a fund for you as well as all of his stock and bond options for you. I will just have you sign the papers needed and will start transferring items into your name." Chloe was dumbstruck.

"How do I take care of stocks – business is kind of your thing."

Lex looked at her and smiled, "I told you I would protect you. That means investments too. Trust me."

Chloe looked up from her now empty plate and smiled through her tears. "Thank you for everything. By the way, you can cook for me anytime." Lex didn't respond but just sat back in the chair, crossing his arms and smiling at her.


	5. 18

Chapter 5 – 18

It had been almost a month since Gabe had passed away. Chloe was taken aback with the amount of money her father had put back but was grateful for Lex taking care of the minute details. But today particularly stung. Her big day and no one was around. Sarah had called to ask her to go out tonight but she didn't feel up to it. Chloe sat on the window seat looking out the window at the Dallas skyline.

_Alone. _

She looked at the one lone present she had been sent from Lex of course. She remembered the night before he had apologized over and over for not making it to town for her big day. She appreciated the gesture but never opened the box. It just didn't feel right now – she didn't feel like celebrating anything.

_9:00. Maybe order a movie. _

She drug her feet across the living room and curled up on the couch. She proceeded to switch channels to find something that would take her mind off of herself.

"_I don't wanna go out tonight, but I can't be alone…Can somebody take me home." No kidding._

She settled on the movie of the week – something about some horrible fictionalized natural disaster.

_Kind of like tonight._

"Wow, I have seen some wet blankets in my day but you win it by a mile." Chloe jumped out of skin and landed on the floor. She heard footsteps hurry around the corner and pick her head up. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Lex, oh my god, you…" Chloe was still out of breath. Lex pulled her up on the couch and sat down beside her. She looked at him and hugged him. "You're here – I thought you weren't able to get away."

"Chloe you once said that I was the king of deception. Now, get dressed," he handed her a box.

Chloe looked at him and noticed he was without a tie, not even a button down. "Where are we going?"

"Uh huh. No questions. Get ready." Lex turned around and saw she hadn't opened the other box on the table. "Wait, take that too."

Greenville. Chloe just gawked at the amount of clubs crammed onto one street. Lex drove slowly, for once, up one side and down the other where she could get a good look and pick somewhere to start. "There." Chloe pointed at a bright blue building with a lot of lights. Lex looked at her strangely when he heard the reggae skaa music coming from the door.

"You're the birthday girl." He pulled into the valet and walked in behind Chloe, placing his hand in the small of her back. Chloe tingled but resisted in jumping when she felt it. She just smiled. She saw him walk past the people waiting and handed the doorman a $100. The ropes parted and as she was. Underage and a nobody. She shivered when Lex leaned into her, "you look great tonight. Happy birthday."

She couldn't remember the last time that she had that much fun. Lex had bought out the corner booth where they sat and commented about other people dancing, comparing a few childhood memories, and Smallville.

"Hey," Chloe broke an unusual silence. She had never imagined that Lex would actually talk or listen like he did or like she always did.

_One and the same I guess_

"What, sorry."

"Since you're about to dance right out of that seat, why don't we try it."

"Dance? I've kind of grown out of the club thing."

"Well, I haven't and frankly I am in need of some serious let my hair down fun – and talking with you is great – but come on." Chloe grabbed his hand from across the table and drug the billionaire from the leather seat.

She led him to a more secluded area of the dance floor, knowing his affection for attention to himself. But it couldn't be avoided. Within minutes they both had new, very attractive partners. Chloe started dancing away with the stranger, with a look of concern on her face.

"Sorry, thank you," Lex excused himself and cut into Chloe's dance right before her overly excited partner started grinding her. "Let's get out of here – I have an idea." He took Chloe's hand and headed to the door.


	6. Too Soon

_A/N – It's very hard for me to do the warm and fuzzy Lex b/c I am such a fan of the evil the man puts out, but here goes._

Chapter 6 – Too Soon

After the two were back in the car, he looked over at Chloe who was still grinning from ear to ear. "I'm sorry, but that was going a little far."

"It's ok Lex – I haven't had this much fun in a long time." She sat and watched as the nightlife went by her and knew exactly why Lex always felt cramped in Smallville. Lex kept driving while Chloe mused when she realized they weren't on the way back to the apartment. "Where are we going?"

"Just wait – somewhere quiet," he glibbed while jokingly rubbing at his ear.

Chloe stared out the window, still grinning. _You know what you are doing to me? No one has ever made me feel this good. _She glanced over and saw Lex taking a peek of her as well. Covering her smile, she quickly looked the other way.

_A guy like me and Chloe. _Lex shook his head and glanced over once more. _Nah. We'd kill each other._ Turning into the lot for Sambuca, he touched her knee and made her jump. "We're here."

Chloe looked around and then at Lex. "It's closed, there's no one here." Lex got out and opened her door.

"It's open for us." He knocked on a side door and led Chloe into the dinner/jazz club. She looked around and stunned.

"Follow me sir, we're set up in here." Chloe followed the one staff member still there to a small room with silk curtains and candles lit everywhere. Lex motioned for her to pick a place to sit and followed behind her.

_I can't believe he went through all of this. For me._

"You deserve it," he whispered as he sat down by her_. Did he hear me or just reading my mind? _

The waiter came back with an array of different items to snack on and a bottle of wine. Chloe watched intently as Lex tested the wine and instructed the waiter to go light on her glass. With a nod of his head and another large bill, they were alone.

"Dig in. I assume you're birthday meal wasn't that spectacular."

"It's not my birthday anymore," Chloe smirked as she took a bite.

Lex leaned in, intertwining his fingers in hers, "let's pretend it is." Chloe's body just froze.

_I'm 18 and Lex is hitting on me. Breathe Chloe breathe._

"You ok," he whispered. Chloe just looked up and shook her head. She didn't know what to think but knew that of all the places he could be or all the people he could be with, all the beautiful people he could be with, he was with her. She felt him let go of her hand and saw that he had starting eating as well.

"Come here," Lex took her hand after she finished and led her to the main room and up on the stage. "Sit." He moved around to the other side of the seat and brushed his hand over the keys once before playing.

Chloe sat with her eyes closed taking it all in. "That's beautiful." The playing continued.

"Just like you," he whispered in her ear. She tingled as she leaned her neck into feel his breath on her better. _Not one mention of Clark tonight. Watch yourself; you're falling for a teenager Lex. _

He glanced over again as he was playing and laughed slightly. "Either you don't like soft jazz or you need some sleep," he quipped from seeing her yawning. He took her hand and led her out to the car.

"Lex, the sun's coming up."

"How about that? You made it through your birthday." He saw the cute dirty look that she shot him.

"Thank you for the night and the present." She had completely forgotten to thank him for the diamond drop he had given her. When Lex looked over to reply, she had fallen asleep in the seat.

"We're here." He went around to her side of the car and helped her out. She was so warm as she wrapped her arm around his waist. Standing in front of her door, she fumbled with her keys until he took them and unlocked it.

He brushed her hair out of her face as she looked up at him, "Happy Birthday," he whispered and kissed her on the cheek. _Behave Lex. _He let her go and started toward the door.

"Lex." Turning around, he stopped as Chloe walked toward him and put her hand in his. "Thank you," she breathed before she kissed him back ever so gently on the lips.

_Woah, her lips are so. Lex behave. No, she's legal. But, she's your friend. Go for it._

Lex didn't know which voice to listen to so he decided to test how far she was willing to go. Running his hands through her hair he took her by the back of the neck and kissed her deeper. She reacted by pushing against his warm body and closing the apartment door as they pressed against the living room wall. Taking her in his arms, he held her up and deepened the kiss. He could feel her pounding heart against his heart and didn't know which was harder.

He was suddenly thrust harder against the wall as she pushed away, and Lex felt that he had hit her limit. But that wasn't the case at all. He looked down into her eyes, her very green, now sultry eyes.

She scooted closer and started kissing his neck while sliding her hands up his shirt. He closed his eyes to feel her touch but consciously stopped her hands. "Chloe, stop."

Chloe backed up as Lex took her hands in his. She just looked at him, shaking. "Yeah, you're right," she pulled away from him and walked into the living room. She could hear him follow her but was too distraught to look at him.

_Why? How stupid can I be – he was being friendly and you crossed the line – he doesn't want a girl – he can get a woman anytime. Stupid. _Chloe sat down on the couch and slapped herself in the forehead.

"Chloe, look at me." Chloe saw him worried as she was crying. He placed a hand on her back , "Chloe you are a beautiful, vibrant, exciting young _woman, _and I'm really fond of you. But …"

"Don't finish that Lex. I know I'm not one of your one night stands, but I just thought."

"And that's why I stopped." He guided Chloe's face up to look at him. "I care more about you and I never want to put you in that group." He quieted his voice and took a deep breath, "if it's meant to be it'll be, but not like this. We'll both know when the time is right."

She shook her head in agreement. _He's right and more class than I ever gave him credit for._

"Goodnight Lex, or good morning." He squeezed her hand and kissed her lightly on the lips and stood up.

Letting go of her hand, he smiled, "I'll call you." He left the apartment leaving Chloe sitting, hoping she hadn't made a grave mistake in scaring him off.


	7. Christmas Suspicions

_A/N - I hope anyone reading this is enjoying it. Please let me know - good or bad!_ _Something I've been missing in the real show included here - some Lex/Lois action._

Chapter 7 – Christmas Suspicions

The snow was unbearable in Kansas this year as Clark visited her grave for the holidays. It had more than six months and still no proof of her being alive anywhere. He had x-rayed the ground so many times in the fall hoping there was no body there. His friend didn't die. It was all a very long bad dream.

"Mom made her famous pumpkins pies you used to eat a whole one of. Lana called and said her and Jason are engaged. You probably wouldn't believe me but I'm actually happy for her. She sent pictures and looks great and so grown up. She actually is doing photography now for some little fashion magazine. The journalism bug bit her too. I don't mean to ramble but I guess I'm just hoping that someday you'll contribute to the conversation. Anyway, Merry Christmas Chloe. I love you." He brushed the snow off the stone and placed the single white rose on it.

"You might have told her how you felt when she was alive and was dying to hear it." That woman was back.

Lois walked up and laid more flowers by her cousin's grave.

"You have this impeccable sense of timing."

"Clark." Lois turned around and glared at him. "A moment with her please." Clark held up both hands and started to walk off. "Hey Clark." Clark stopped and turned around. "I thought Gabe's grave was more level. It looks like a fresh burial."

Clark's eyes got wider as he walked back through the random stones. "Maybe it's just the snow piling." Lois started raking the snow off the grave and found that the ground had indeed been freshly laid on Gabe's grave but not Chloe's. Clark and Lois both looked at each other and Clark looked at the grave.

_There's one body, but_ His eye's widened. _not the same one. _The body before had not had a watch on the wrist and this one did.

"What is it?" Lois punched him back to reality.

Pointing at the grave, "I think you're right."

"That means something really strange is going on and that neither one of these bodies could be Chloe or her father." Lois started to smile. She looked up at Clark as he was thinking.

"I mean but we can't just dig them up – that's a little morbid, don't you think?"

Grabbing Clark by the jacket, she pulled him back to the car, "Why not – at least we'll know – don't you want to know the truth, especially if it's not the truth. I mean she left her life in the hands of Lex Luthor. Come on Lex Luthor and his criminal father – I didn't believe it was her at the funeral and still don't. No one from the family even ID'ed the bodies. Dental records were never checked."

"How do you know all of this," Clark asked as he closed his eyes. Lois' driving was horrible.

"Because unlike you and taking the story straight from a scoundrel like Lex, I started digging. Two people in my family died in an explosion stemming from a high profile court case and no one makes questions."

"Where are we going?"

"To ask some questions." Lois sped up the long driveway as Clark realized she was going right for the lion's den.

* * *

"Sir she just," Lex turned around seeing his servant grabbing at his stomach as a woman and Clark walked stoically across the floor.

"Clark, who's your friend?" Lex had not spoken to Clark since he had driven him home. It wasn't hatred anymore, just the two had moved on.

"Lois Lane, I don't shake hands with people like you," in response to Lex's outstretched hand, "where's my cousin?"

"I think she's in the Smallville cemetery if you're referring to Chloe. Why?" Lex sat down in his chair behind his desk, closing the computer screen where an email to Chloe was in process.

Placing her hands on the desk, Lois pressed further, "I don't think you're telling the truth. Gabe Sullivan's grave has been compromised since I was out there last time and I have a funny feeling I'm talking to the man who did it."

Lex looked at Clark as he just stood and listened to Chloe's cousin irritate the billionaire more and more. "New girlfriend? Nice." Lex got up and poured himself a drink. "Lois, is it? I think it's the holidays and they can be very trying when you have lost loved one – believe me – I know more about that than anyone, but you can't just hope that I can magically bring her back to life."

"Lex, we just want to know why Gabe's grave would have changed." Clark intervened before Lois let her emotions get out of hand. Lois scowled in Clark's direction and crossed her arms as she waited for some kind of answer Lex could make up to appease Clark.

"Ok, the truth." Lex set the glass down and pointed for the two to sit down. Lex went and pulled a file and slid it across the coffee table for Lois to see. Sitting back on the couch, he waited for the two to digest the information in it.

After a several moments and grimacing looks, Lois looked up at him. "You mean Gabe was alive and you had another person buried in his place? Why would you do that?"

"Gabe was a very badly burned, beyond recognition, and for a lack of a better term, a vegetable. The doctors gave him actually no more than a couple of days. I stalled the funeral plans with all those waiting periods, I admit that. But I was hoping that if he did pass, that they could be buried together. However, he held on until the fall and I went back and privately buried him, removing the other casket. Chloe would have wanted it, but we buried both at the same time to not raise the suspicions of my father."

_Come on Lois, buy the story_, Lex thought to himself.

"What about Chloe? You still haven't proved that Chloe is the other body. She could be still alive then too." Clark had heard Lex lie straight to his face before and was trying to figure out if this was another one of his schemes. Handing Clark the other folder in his hand, he waited as Lois and Clark both grimaced through the other photos.

"You have a bathroom?" Lois looked sick. Lex signaled her to follow him and pointed her around the corner.

"She going to be ok?" Lex looked at Clark eyeing the photos.

"I guess; it was her family so she's not really letting it go." Lex came and sat across from Clark.

"And how about you? Have you let go yet?" Lex tried to read the look on Clark's face.

"You know it's really hard. I mean I guess everything happened at the same time of my life and trying to blame you backfired and you put me in my place. Ever since then, I realized," he paused, "I had been chasing the wrong woman." Lex watched as Clark closed his eyes.

_He loves her. Dammit. _

"But then again – you learn from your mistakes and I guess that I learned a big lesson from both women."

"What's that?"

"What you had been telling from the beginning. Make a move or lose both of them." Lex looked at Clark and saw almost a glint of a friendly smile come from Clark's face.

"Clark, does this mean we're talking again?" Clark looked up at Lex and smiled, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I guess so. Is Lois ok?" Lex got up and headed out of the room to the bathroom. Returning a few moments later, he tried to comfort her by touching her on the back.

"Yeah, I'm fine – don't touch me," Lois retorted as she pushed Lex's hand off of her. Lex followed the very independent woman back into his office. She sat down and started looking at the photos again as Lex and Clark continued talking about old memories. "Clark let's get out of here – place gives me the creeps."

Lex looked offended, "I live here."

Lois turned around as she was almost out the door, "exactly."

Back in her car, Lois turned and looked at Clark. "You remember the picture of her buttocks?" Clark shot a shocked look at Lois.

"Why would I concentrate on that?! I'm not a pervert or something." Clark lost control of his voice and started squeeking.

"Really, Smallville. That's not her. I know her. Ok, when she came back to Metropolis for that summer internship when she was dating that Jimmy guy. Well, anyway, she and I got really drunk – I know bad habits I was teaching her – and we got tattoos. She got a small nickel sized butterfly on her right cheek. There's nothing on that butt picture that Lex has."

"Maybe it burned off?" Lois was beside herself. _How naïve is he?_

"Look, you stick to Lex's story because you obviously believe him, but I think personally he's blowing smoke." Lois started the car and sped off the grounds while letting Clark take in the fact that Chloe had been drunk in her life, had a tattoo he had never had the pleasure to see, and that Lex was lying to him, again.

Lex watched from the hallway window the banter that was going on in the red convertible parked in his driveway. He wondered if they were arguing with each other or about him. Breathing deeply, he went back to turn on his computer to see his instant message system had come up.


	8. I'll Be Home for Christmas

Chapter 8 – I'll Be Home for Christmas

_HSJournist: Are you there?_

_KSRecluse: Yeah, I had some business that I was wrapping up._

_HSJournist: Just checking in on you. I haven't heard from you in a week. Afraid you had fallen into bad holiday habits._

_KSRecluse: No, Chloe, I'm not drinking. I have no reason to – you're in my life._

Chloe and Lex had kept their budding romance in the safe zone since her birthday, not by either's choice. Lex was running into business problems as well as Chloe getting ready for exams. The two tried to talk every night and emailed or IMed as much as they could, but it wasn't the same. Lex couldn't bear break her heart but news wasn't good, not that he would tell her the real story.

_HSJournist: Lex, are you ok?_

_KSRecluse: Yes, I just got some bad news. I have a gas subsidiary of Luthorcorp whose platform caught on fire last night and I'm about to actually leave to play clean up crew._

_HSJournist: And spin doctor?_

_KSRecluse: Chloe_

_HSJournist: I know, but Luthor business is an easy target. So, I guess Christmas is out of the question._

_KSRecluse: Sorry, unless you want to spend it on an oil platform in the South Pacific. Just screams the holidays._

Lex waited for her, wondering what she was doing, while he sifted through papers on the fire and his father's appeal on his desk. God, how he wanted to hide out with her in Dallas or somewhere exotic. But she was built like him; she always put her work first too. Lex closed and rubbed his eyes, thinking how he could possibly make anything work not only with a teenager but someone with as much passion as he had for his work. Looking up, he saw her icon blinking.

_HSJournist: You could take me but then I would have the urge to sell you out and write the real story, not whatever fiction you come up with. LOL_

_KSRecluse: Funny. Anyway, I hate to run but my flight's here. I'll call you from the South Pacific._

He felt his fingers glide over the keyboard and type 'I love you.' He stopped and stared at the screen. _Really Lex you do? _He went back and deleted the message, dismissing it as just a way for him to say goodbye.

_HSJournist: Ok, ttyl._

He laughed when she wrote in acronyms since he had no clue what she just said. He stared at it another minute and closed the computer, "talk to you later too."

* * *

"Lex, I thought you would remember that we don't celebrate the holidays." Lionel smarted as Lex walked into the small meeting room at the prison. He felt bad that he had to betray and lie to Chloe but telling her where he was going was the last thing she wanted to hear.

"Dad, Merry Christmas to you too." Lex sat down snugly in one of the cold metal chairs that were available as he watched his dad pace while looking at the file he had brought to him.

"I'm glad to see son that you haven't run our entire fortune into the ground. Although letting the workers have their wage increase makes me think you're getting soft." He threw the folder down in front of his son.

"They work hard and it's just a 4 reward, not a drop in the bucket. Besides, that would be _my_ fortune now." Lex rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I came, I saw, and I'm leaving. Have a nice new year dad." He turned around to face his father who stood with his arms crossed as if ready for a rebuttal. "I'm glad they found a cure for your cancer; that way you will spend the time you deserve in here."

Lex banged on the solid metal door and was about to exit as his father moved across the room and touched his son on the shoulder, "Lex, say hi to your new woman friend, Ms. Jenkins." Lex stopped cold.

"How did you know about that?" Lex whipped around to look at his father.

"Son, I still know the day to day goings on. I hear she's quite the looker. But not exactly in your normal taste. Blondish I think I heard."

Trying to play it cool, Lex responded coldly, "You're out of your mind old man." If he wouldn't be behind bars himself, Lex would strangle him right there.

"Be careful son; you're showing emotion. We Luthors don't do that." Lionel stared at his son, watching the color drain from Lex's face. It was so easy to rattle him. Turning back around to face the small window in the cell, he smugly continued, "When young Chloe finds out who you _really_ are, you'll just be one more sad soul that leaves her."

Grabbing Lionel by the collar, he yelled, "you bastard, you stay away from her!" Lex shoved his father up against the side of the wall and Lionel threw him to the floor before the guards arrived.

Lex shrugged the guards off and took to the door in a huff. Turning back and looking at his father, he watched as the guards restrained him. "Lex, I'm just sorry I didn't get it right the first time I tried. But there are other ways." Lex tensed as his father continued smiling at him from across the cell as the metal door closed in between them.

Walking out to his car, Lex was visibly shaken. He sat in his car in the visitor lot distraught. _What have I done? He's never going to leave me… her… us alone. _He started the car and headed for the airport.


	9. Holiday Flight

_A/N - Hope you like this update. Some interesting yet subtle character changes._

Chapter 9 – Holiday Flight

"Hey Lex, you're already in the South Pacific?" Chloe questioned Lex thinking maybe it was another ruse to throw her off that he was in town to see her.

"No, I actually went and saw my father. Chloe, he knows you're still alive and is planning something. I'm getting on the jet right now; pack some things that you need and be ready to leave when I get there."

"Oh God, Lex." Chloe's voice was broken and scared. She looked around the room and started throwing things in bags to take with her while she listened to Lex yammer orders to the jet pilots. "Lex."

"Just wait for my call." Lex hung up the phone. He picked up a glass from the table that had been set up and launched it against the back wall of the plane. "SHIT!"

* * *

"What?" Clark and Lois looked at elder Luthor dressed in an orange jumpsuit through a piece of glass.

Martha and Jonathon invited Lois to stay with them in lieu of going back to the city alone for the holidays. Clark didn't know if he minded or not. In one way, she was stubborn and irritating, but it made her interesting. On the other hand, she was adventuresome and met him at every challenge. He never remembered Lana playing basketball or trying to outrun him. Lois was different, better different.

"I have some information for you that might make your holidays really special." Lois just cringed seeing the scowling smile of Lionel. Lionel slid a small piece of paper through the tray with an address on it.

"What's this?" Clark looked at the piece of paper with an address and the name Juliette Jenkins.

"Let's just say you have time to make amends with that one girl that you never paid enough attention to." Lionel smiled again and walked away leaving Lois and Clark both wondering what in the world was in Dallas.

"Nah, I think he's setting you up." Lois looked at Clark and shook her head. "I don't think you should go. He knows you were one of the ones that testified against him and he hasn't gotten to you yet." Clark got up and started out to the car. Lois grabbed him by the back of the coat. "What are you planning?"

"A trip."

With that Lois started dialing the phone, "Hi, Mr. Kent, Lois here," Clark tried to rip the phone from her but she moved the phone away, "Clark is planning on trying to track down Chloe from a tip of Lionel Luthor's. Now I want to find my cousin as much or more than he does, but I am not going into THAT alone."

"_Give the phone to my son, Lois."_ Lois handed the phone to Clark and started the ignition. "_Clark, you come home now. I am not letting you go after this alone – Lois is right, for once." _

Clark heard the phone on the other end click as he sat back in the seat. He glared at Lois and wondered why she couldn't be _that_ adventurous.

_What if Lionel is telling the truth. Chloe could be alive. I could tell her how I really feel._

"Clark, I told you she was alive. And if she's alive still after all this time, someone is taking care of her, just have faith."

"Lex."

"Yeah, he's still a snake – Lionel will tell you the truth but Lex lies right to you."

"No, he was protecting her," Clark sat up straighter in the car, "turn around and go to the mansion. Come on Lois, I have seen the way you drive."

Lois stepped on the gas as she shook her head. "Your dad is going to be _mad_."

The two walked into the main office of the Luthor mansion and the place was dead silent. "Lex," Clark called out in the office and the hallways.

Lois came around the corner, "Nothing. There's no one here – Clark it's Christmas."

"Lex doesn't celebrate the holidays; he's either here or on business." Clark started sifting though papers on Lex's desk looking for any kind of clue.

Lois flipped open the computer which was still unlocked. "He left somewhere in a hurry. You want to know anything about Luthorcorp now's your chance." She opened each minimized window until one caught her eye.

"You find anything?"

"No, if she's around Lex wanted her to stay hidden. Unfortunately, his father has more means than Lex does. Wait, Clark, look at this." They both looked closely at the computer and read the same address as Lionel had given them.

"You have a credit card?" Clark knew he could get there faster by running but that would be hard to explain to Lois who was adamant about going at this point.

"I'm already ahead of you." Lois pulled up an airline and started booking seats.

* * *

"Come on down. It's the blue car." Chloe looked out the window and only saw a late model 4-door. "Bring everything you can that you want. My men will be through to clean up right behind you."

Lex jumped out of the car dressed in jeans and a hooded top, completely out of character for him. Opening the trunk, he tossed in the stuff that Chloe felt was most important. "Lex."

"No talking, get in the car." Once he started driving he told her everything. He took Chloe's hand and could feel her tense up with every word that he repeated from Lionel.

"Lex, he's after both of us now?" Lex could feel her breathe harder as he drove. Usually calculated, he had no idea where he was going now. He just wanted to get as far away from that scene as possible. After a couple of hours, Chloe looked over at him and pulled his hood off. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know," he sighed

_I don't know? Lex without a plan – what did his father do to really scare him like this? _

"I just need some time to think."

Lex got off the interstate and headed to a small community. The place was smaller than Smallville and dreary. Lex stopped the car, and she leaned over on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him after seeing him lean over the steering wheel. "I'm sorry I caused all this."

He sat up and met her eyes with his. "You didn't cause any of this – I didn't protect you well enough." He caressed her cheek and jaw in his hand before pulling her in for a kiss. "I won't make a mistake twice." She closed her eyes as he deepened into the kiss and then pulled away. "Be right back."

* * *

Clark busted down the door to the fancy Uptown Dallas apartment. _Empty._ "Lois, it's empty, swept clean – either Lionel or Lex got here before us."

"Dammit." Lois picked up the phone, "Jonathon, we kind of took a detour."

"_Where?"_

"Dallas."

"_Put Clark on the phone._" Lois handed Clark the phone and cringed_. "Clark, you disobeyed us directly. Now, get on a plane and get back here now."_ Clark hung up the phone and motioned for Lois to give up.

"There's nothing here. Let's go home."

Martha and Jonathon watched the special report on the television wondering if Clark or Lois had heard. The Luthorcorp jet at the Dallas airport went up in flames mysteriously after a well-dressed bald man and blond woman boarded.

Meanwhile, Lois and Clark could see flames and smoke coming from the opposite end of the airport right after their takeoff. Not until later did they know that Lionel had seemingly won by killing both Lex and Chloe before flight after finding that she had never died in the safe house fire.

* * *

In a small hotel room in Buffalo, Texas, Chloe gawked at the news while Lex was in the shower. She was so mesmerized by the television that the man wrapped in a towel walking back and forth didn't faze her.

"What is it?" She looked up at Lex's still wet body and blushed momentarily.

"Uhhh, we're dead. Well, I'm dead again." She saw Lex disappear back into the little bathroom. When he came back out, he was in a comfortable set of jogging pants and pullover. He laid down next to her putting his arm around her.

"I know." Chloe just buried her head in chest and cried. Lex put his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

_He just killed himself for me._

The two fell asleep in each other's arms to the story of the year; the billionaire son is really dead this time.


	10. New Year's Interlude

**A/N - Ok, this is as "T" as I can make this but there is an "M" version. If you aren't to the gooey romantic stuff, skip it.**

Chapter 10 – New Year's Interlude

"Hi," she purred as the sun came streaming in the small motel window. She knew that Lex was going stir crazy cut off from the world and his work but there was something peaceful about their current situation.

"Hi," he replied as he pulled her closer to kiss her. She smiled and rubbed her cheek against his chest, kissing him ever so slightly while he ran his hands through her hair.

The two had spent the last week in the motel room keeping tabs on the news and his business. Lex was being overly patient with the slow connection speed of the Internet where he could get to his files through a fictionalized webmaster name. His personal name and password had already been compromised and shut down, no doubt by his father's hounds. Chloe didn't know what to do for him but to let him pace the room most of each day to think. She knew he was trying to some up with something brilliant.

"You know, you're eyes are just amazing when the sunlight hits them in the morning."

Chloe looked up at him. "Are you flirting with me Mr. Luthor?"

Lex covered his lips telling her to sush and pulled her close to kiss him. He sat up against the bed's headboard and pulled her over onto him. "Chloe," he whispered almost inaudible.

Chloe sat up, staddling him and touched his face, rubbing her fingers down both sides of his jaw. She pulled him up slightly where he met her lips and kissed him deeply. She moved her lips down his neck to his ear. "Make love to me." She sat up and faced him. It seemed like an eternity she waited for his response.

Lex sat up and twisted out from under her. She turned around and innocently smiled, hoping she didn't scare him off again. He looked at her so seriously and took her hands in his. Without speaking he slid her hands up his shirt as she helped him out of it. As Chloe continued running her fingers along his smooth chest, she shook slightly when his hands entered under her shirt and pulled it off over her head.

"You ok?" Lex held her arms and wondered if he should stop. He was concerned by her shudder.

"I'm a little nervous. You've been with…and I've only…" She was cut off by Lex pulling her bare chest into his and laying her down on the bed, kissing her.

"You say the word," he said softly. Chloe understood that Lex would stop if she wanted.

"No, I want this – I'm just nervous." He leaned over her looking in her eyes while tracing her chest with his fingers.

"I am too. Things are going to change between us." He stopped suddenly seeing Chloe's expression change. Then she did it - she smiled and guided his hand to gently squeeze her.

"I know, it's going to be better," she whispered.

Lex saw the glint in her eyes and let himself down over her, meeting her lips, his tongue meeting hers. Putting his hand behind her head and the other in the small of her back, he closed his eyes as she ran her hands down his back into the waistline of his sleeping pants.

He moved down her body slightly. He looked up from her chest and watched as she moaned,"God Lex," as he continued moving his lips around her body. She could feel herself getting hotter, in response to obvious his ravishing her. She grabbed him by the back of the head and led him up to her lips for another kiss.

_This is nothing like Jimmy – Lex is a man, an experienced man – what if I don't make him happy. _

Lex felt Chloe tense up. "Where'd you go?" he asked as he pulled back looking into her eyes to see what he had done wrong.

Chloe realized she was lost in her thoughts, "Sorry."

"You want me to stop?"

_Please say no Chloe._

"No, make love to me, Lex." He rubbed his hand along her face and down her side. Sitting up slightly, he pushed himself down her front, kissing every inch of her body as he moved under the sheets.

Chloe closed her eyes and repeated his name. She couldn't help herself. She had never felt anything like it and was afraid it would be over too soon.

He could hear her sighing his name louder and more often. Moving back up to look in her eyes, he breathed in deeply. She locked eyes with him and kissed him deeper. Taking her whole body in his arms, he pulled her completely to him.

_Oh God, Lex. I've been wanting this for so long._

* * *

"Chloe? Everything alright?" Lex looked at her sideways, sweating and baiting for breath. 

With labored breathing, she could only muster an approving head nod. Chloe watched as he leaned over the bed to the nightstand to get a drink. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. He was not the billionaire she knew from a year ago. He was sweating, smiling at her, and completely full of emotion.

"Lex," she mustered. She pointed at the water bottle as he laughed embarrassingly.

"Sorry."

Chloe took a swig and threw it back on the floor. She looked at the man lying next to her. Lex was completely out of breath but looked absolutely in heaven as she was. She had never imagined that someone like Lex Luthor would have that much to offer besides his wealth but the women he had before made big mistakes. There is more man here than they ever gave him a chance to show them. Chloe innocently giggled knowing that their loss was her gain.

"Hey," she whispered. "You ok?" He motioned her to hold on for a moment, which made her giggle.

"I'm great – tired." He brushed her hair out of her face where he could see her. She just beamed.

Seeing he recovered, Chloe moved over and laid her down on his still sweaty shoulder. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh of approval and happiness. Lex ran his fingers up and down her side and closed his eyes.

Lex looked longingly at the woman that he had never imagined himself with until it actually happened. He and Chloe had always been good for a riveting discussion or an afternoon of accusations and baiting interviews but never imagined that she was this good. Thinking about the other mistakes he had made in his life, he tensed up thinking what would happen if, after they got out of their predicament, if she left him. He couldn't let that happen. They were made for each other, like Zeus and Hera.

After a few minutes, he could feel Chloe drop into deep breathing signaling that she fell asleep. Feeling it was safe to let his feelings finally show, he whispered, "I love you Chloe and I'm going to get us out of this. Then we can be happy."

He felt Chloe let out a big sigh, "I love you too Lex. I trust you."

Lex looked at her as she squeezed her body closer to his and sighed again. This year is going to be a better year, he thought to himself.


	11. Meanwhile

Chapter 11 – Meanwhile

"You really think that's Chloe getting on that plane? I mean would she honestly get on a Luthorcorp jet after being driven into exile?" Clark looked at Lois and his parents.

Since Clark and Lois had returned they were confined to the farm grounds unless with an adult but Jonathon wasn't buying anything either. The four of them had spent many of the holiday nights going over different newspaper photos and video footage.

"My thing is that someone made it very obvious to take pictures of them getting on the plane before the plane blew, but never caught anyone on video planting explosives. It doesn't add up." Clark wished that Chloe was there where she could hack into the airport security cameras and see the _real_ film.

"What do you mean, son?"

"I mean there's no footage of before they got on the plane, but a security camera would pick up both, right? What if the explosives were from before they ever landed?" Lois looked at him quizzically.

"Are you saying Lex blew up his own plane?" Martha and Jonathon saw where Clark was going with this.

Jonathon signaled Martha to go pack some things, "I'm going with you for Chloe, not Lex. But you may be on to something."

"Umm, still confused…" Lois retorted as Clark drug her upstairs to pack.

At Love Field, Jonathon and Clark tried incessantly to get information about security guards on watch that day but came up with all dead ends. They quit. They were fired. There was way more than what was being said. Someone was paying them to disappear.

Lois, on the other hand, had better luck. Propping her breasts up on the counter of the Avis can rental, she smiled at the 18 year old working the counter. "Hi…I thought maybe you could help me," she asked in her best pouty voice. Clark and Jonathon watched amused. "I need some information. Was there a very expensive car rented from here on Christmas?"

"Ma'am I can't divulge," he stopped as Lois scooted her chest up on the counter more.

"Please. I mean you seem really nice and we're trying to find a friend." Lois went around the counter and played with the kid's chin. Jonathon moved forward and felt Clark hold him back.

"Hold on."

"I guess maybe just a peek at the paper records." Lois jumped up and down giddy. She motioned the two men over while the clerk dug for the receipts.

Thumbing through the receipts, Clark spotted one that made no sense. "Sir, you usually rent cars for an undetermined amount of time? In cash?" The clerk looked at the receipt.

"Oh, John has been released from the company because the guy he rented to bribed him. John just wrote in some amount on there and the guy signed it. I wasn't here that day, but heard that the boss drilled him before he got the axe. Yeah, and then who knows where the boss went with the money."

"He's gone?"

"Yeah, since yesterday, he hasn't been in." Clark looked at his dad and Lois.

"That's him; you have a plate number for this Impala?" Lois looked at Clark about the type of car Lex would settle on.

"He's trying to hide his tracks by changing appearances," Clark explained to Lois as he started dialing the sheriff. "Hi, Sheriff Adams please, tell her this is Clark Kent."

"_Adams, what do you need Mr. Kent?"_ He knew she he couldn't stand him.

"I need you to get some information for me if you can."

"_What am I doing?"_

"Putting out a request for a car's license plate. We have reason to believe that Chloe Sullivan is still alive, but want to keep it quiet in case Lex's father gets wind of it. And since you don't play into the Luthor politics, we thought of you. We think she's in Texas and need you to get a hold of someone there to look for the car."

Clark could hear her typing and waited for her to respond. "Ok, read off the plate. I sure hope your father knows you are doing this." Sheriff Adams typed in the plate number and waited for it to process.

"He's here in Dallas with us." Clark waited a little longer as she made other phone calls to post an alert.

"_Put your dad on the phone."_ Clark handed the phone to Jonathon and waited. _"Mr. Kent, this is going to take some time. Hang tight somewhere and I will contact you. You call if you find yourself in any trouble. I have a few connections down there."_

"Please, this is a matter of life and death – we don't want them to run." Sheriff Adams understood and hung up the phone. The three found a place to stop for dinner and wait.

Three hours later, the phone rang_. "Mr. Kent, we've got your vehicle at the Economy Inn in Buffalo, Texas."_ Jonathon took the address as the three set out to central Texas.

"Thank you so much Sheriff. We'll be in touch."


	12. Uncovered

Chapter 12 – Uncovered

Chloe was leaning over the computer trying to find information about the latest appeal from Lionel. If he wins this time, he could be released without Lex there to bribe the judges. Lex had something planned. He had been on the pay phone all morning talking to people about different plans, hoping that his father hadn't gotten to them first.

She still mused over that he had actually killed himself on purpose and was now trying to raise himself from the dead. She looked up, _lock yourself out again_.

"I told you to take a …" Chloe fell silent as she looked back at Clark. Clark Kent was here. And Jonathon and Lois.

Lois grabbed her and squeezed. "Chloe, I have always believed you were alive. Oh my God, are you ok? Are you a prisoner or something?" Lois wouldn't let go.

"God, I missed you," Clark sighed as he hugged her and entered the room. Jonathon just followed the other two in as Chloe closed the door.

She was speechless. _How did you find me, us?_

"Chloe, are you ok?" Clark gripped her arms silently. She pulled away and sat on the opposite side of the room from them.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just shocked. How did you?"

"Lois used her sex appeal to aggravate the car rental guy enough for information." Clark and Lois giggled and smiled at each other.

_My cousin and Clark? Well, if me and Lex can I guess. Oh, God Lex. _She had forgotten about Lex. _He's going to think I called them and hate me._

"So, get your stuff and we can get you out of here," Clark stated as he picked up bags on one side of the bed.

"Clark, stop, Clark." The knock at the door caused her to jump. Lois reached for the door as Chloe cut her off, "No, I'll get it." She opened the door.

"I forgot the key; you going to let me in?" He put his hand on the door to push it open and felt her push back.

"We have company." She released the door as he entered the room. Lex looked at Lois and Clark.

"You know I figured between the two of them that we would get found out." Lex walked over and shook hands with Clark and Jonathon. "Who else knows you're looking?"

"Martha and the Sheriff Adams," Jonathon said.

Lex nodded, "the two people in Smallville that I actually think trust or hate me enough not to make deals with my father." Lex walked across the room and sat down next to Chloe. Lois and Clark both looked at each other with questioning looks.

"You set this all up for us to find?" Lois crossed her arms in disbelief.

"I sure hoped. There's some business I needed a legal adult here for and knew there was no way Mr. Kent would let Clark come all this way by himself. Besides, Mr. Kent despises my father as much as I do. So, in this particular situation, we make the perfect bedfellows. But we can't leave with you yet. There's a plan in place. Trust me."

The four of them watched Lex paced and go through the wild explanation. Lois finally had enough.

"Your plan was to kidnap my cousin and lie to my face repeatedly. Great plan." Lois started packing up Chloe's things. Chloe grabbed her bag and yanked it out her hands.

"NO! Ok, so this is not exactly how we wanted this to turn out but after Lionel found out my new identity in Dallas, we had to both make like we disappeared. Look, his new hearing is next week where he could be released or moved to a higher security prison. As far as he knows, Lex's will, companies, investments, etc are tied up in probate and unattainable to him as long as he continues holding his felony charge." Lex gently squeezed her shoulder as a signal for her to hush.

Lex walked over and opened a briefcase and pulled out a large folder of papers. "Mr. Kent, give me a dollar."

"Why?" Lex pulled out a pen and a contract.

"Just sign it." Jonathon started flipping through the massive amount of paperwork, trying to understadn teh legal jargon. Lex looked at Jonathon and almost pleaded. "Please sign it." Jonathon reached down and signed the contract. He had signed contracts with the Luthors before without reading them and already owed Lionel Luthor for that.

"What did I just sign that I'll regret?" Lex handed the large package of papers in the folder.

"My dollar," Lex quipped as Clark handed him a dollar. "I just sold you everything – the investments, the entire Luthor fortune." He ripped the contract copy off and gave Jonathon his half. "Don't lose too much of my money this month, but if you make any, you can keep it. Oh, and you can't use my office." He smiled at Jonathon and beamed.

"You mean this is your entire…"

"Portfolio, yeah. How's it feel to be a billionaire?" Clark looked at his dad, his eyes as big as saucers. Lois and Chloe were both completely stunned. Lex turned to Lois, and smiled, "the guy at the rental car counter really likes you. He said you can call him anytime," as he handed her the number. "Just go home in your pickup and bury that folder. We'll be along soon." Lex squeezed Chloe's hand and motioned Jonathon to follow him for more instructions.

"Chloe, what's going on?" Chloe could see the look of concern on both Clark and Lois' faces. She knew that they were excited to see her alive but not with Lex, especially Chloe.

"What do you mean?" They both looked at her and leaned in. "Oh, Lex and I are together." Chloe noticed Clark take a deep breath as Lois got angrier.

"Chloe you know what he's capable of?"

"Yeah, ok maybe, but he has been with me since the day I walked into the safe house. Yes, he probably lied straight to you for my safety. I knew everything that was going on in Smallville. The fight that you and Lex had Clark, he told me you made up. And that you visited my grave. He told me everything. He bought me everything I needed; gave me a new identity. _Died for me._"

Clark went over and sat down next to her and asked slowly as her touched her hand, "You love him?" Chloe shivered like so many times before when Clark touched her but didn't feel her heart skip a beat like before. Instead, she could feel a smile creep across her face as she looked at his hand.

Looking up at into Clark's eyes, she realized his blues were not a draw anymore. "Yes." Lex and Jonathon stood in the doorway listening. Jonathon could tell Chloe's words hurt Clark, but Lex seemed to really care for Chloe and was finally trying to do something for someone else's good.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Jonathon broke into Clark's concentration in order to get him out the door.

Chloe hugged her cousin and dearest friend. Chloe watched them drive away in tears. Lex wrapped his arms around her as he spoke softly, "we'll be back soon enough."


	13. Getting Out

_A/N - Thank you for the great comments - keep em' coming. This story has become kind of an animal that I can't kill so I hope you continue to enjoy it b/c I can't quit writing it!_

Chapter 13 – Getting Out

"Well, that's the end of it." Chloe shut the trunk and climbed into the passenger side of the car. "I bet you're looking forward to getting rid of this car."

Lex looked over at her and laughed, "Yeah, having a speedometer only go to 100 is not something I'm used to." Lex started the car and pulled out of the motel.

The two had spent two complete weeks alone except for the brief encounter with Clark, Lois, and Jonathon. Since Christmas, she and Lex spent their hours talking about her family and his business and history. Although she loved listening to him talk so passionately about his work, she didn't understand much of it and wondered how much of it was the truth. She still knew there were some things he was withholding. The way he would start some sentences and change his tone, she had learned to know when he was changing his story. Still, she trusted him with her life since she knew his voice never wavered when he said he loved her.

The real change had come since New Year's. Lex had been more sensitive since they first made love. She could have never imagined a year ago anyone, least of all Lex Luthor, would be holding her every night and making love to her every morning. Just reliving that very morning made her skin tingle.

"You there?" She jumped in her seat as she felt Lex squeeze her arm.

"Sorry."

"Don't leave me yet, I still need you honey." Chloe whipped her head around and looked at Lex.

_He called me honey. He still needs me. God, I am so in love with this man._ She stopped and smiled at him and looked down at the floorboard. And then she felt a sudden change. _What happens when we get back to Smallville? We haven't been there together. Is he going to change or expect me to change?_

"Lex?" Lex looked at her and back at the road. "When we get back to Smallville…are things…"

"We're here," he interrupted. "We'll talk when we're on the plane." Lex got out and instructed the pilot's assistant that the bags were in the trunk.

_It's starting_, she thought. _We're going to get back to Smallville and it's over. How could I be so stupid – he's not going to want a teenager sleeping at the mansion with him. _Chloe sat in the car motionless listening to Lex bark orders at the pilot and his assistant. Unable to control herself, she started wiping the tears from her face.

"Chloe, let's…hey." Lex kneeling down in the car doorway rubbed delicately up her arm and her damp cheek. "What's wrong?"

"We're ready to go sir." Lex signaled to the pilot to wait and for the assistant to leave them be. "Chloe, look at me."

Chloe undid her seatbelt but still sat, staring straight ahead.

Lex moved in closer, placing his hands on hers in her lap. "Chloe." He spoke so soft – it sounded so familiar, yet like a different person than moments ago. "I wasn't dismissing your question in the car. I love you, and we do need to talk, but let's just…_get out of here_." She could tell from his tone, he was being honest with her. She took his hand and followed him onto the plane.

"How did you get a Lear Jet out here?" Chloe sat back in the leather seat and tried to make small talk.

"Carefully. Cash is very persuasive. Company is out of San Antonio and is being well compensated." He got up and moved to the seat next to Chloe when he noticed her grip tighten on the armrests. "Why don't you hold onto me instead?"

She saw the glint in his eye that made her feel comfortable as she slipped her arm under his and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Lex, about before." She paused to see what his reaction would be. Reaching over, he cupped her face in her hands and reached her by the back of the neck to pull her in. Kissing her deeply, he groaned at the touch of her tongue to his. "Lex," Chloe pulled away. "Really."

"Nothing's going to change." He stopped and looked at her eyes; she looked so scared, hurt.

_God, I love her. I just hope she loves me in the same way. What if she doesn't? Only one way to find out._

Keeping her eyes locked on him, she waited. She watched him fumble in his bag. Still digging in the leather satchel, he continued, "I hope – here it is – things will only get better."

He breathed deep as he saw Chloe's jaw drop as he popped open the small box to reveal a very small – for Luthor standards – antique diamond ring in a sterling silver setting. Chloe just gaped, breathless.

"It's not what I would have bought in the city, but I couldn't exactly ask you to marry without anything and the old woman in the antique shop actually made me pay only what it was worth." Lex bit his lip, realizing he was starting to ramble, stalling, afraid of Chloe's answer. Looking at her, her eyes fixated on the box in his hand and he could _see _her heartbeat, still with her mouth open.

Chloe locked eyes with him and took a deep breath. "So, Lex Luthor, are you going to continue yammering about your little antique shop find or ask me to marry you?"

Lex took and deep breath and smiled.

"Ms. Sullivan, would you do me the honor of being my wife?" She read his face – he was hanging on for that one word – he, for once, was the one begging for his life. He tried again, this time closer to her and quieter, "Chloe, will you marry me?"


	14. Topeka

_A/N - Yeah, I'm such an evil tease..._

Chapter 14 – Topeka

Kansas Supreme Court. Chloe stared up at the tall, cold looking building and took a deep breath. "Lex, I don't think I can do this – not again." She continued to stare at the building, realizing that those walls were the only thing that stood between her and the man that tried to kill her, twice, as far as she knew.

Taking her arm in his, she leaned over and whispered, "I know, but if my father loses here, it's the end of the road for him."

Chloe nodded her head and started up the steps with Lex. As the two made it halfway up, a barrage of cameras came out of nowhere. As they pushed microphones in Chloe's face and yelled at her, she felt Lex latch his arm around her back and almost push her up the steps. Looking up a the top of the steps, he saw the security guard open the door and yell, "Back off!" as they entered the front doors. In all the confusion, something caught Chloe's eye.

Etched in a piece of marble outside the building next to a white statue read, "_within these walls the balance of justice weighs equal." _

_God, I hope so._

"This way Mr. Luthor," a man in a suit said briskly walking down the hall. Chloe felt Lex's grip loosen around her as he took her hand and started walking faster toward one particular very large door. "Wait here sir."

The two stood motionless, silent in the hall watching the people in the hall around them gawk and point. Lex leaned over and whispered, "Don't let them get to you – remember what we talked about."

Chloe shook her head understanding that if she didn't play her part that she and Lex could be in grave danger with Lionel out of prison. And although she loved spending time with Lex, she was tired of hiding.

_The State v Lionel Luthor. This the final appeal for the charge of contract murder contributing to the intentional and premeditated murder of __Lachlan and Eliza Luthor__. The State is requesting the death penalty in accordance with the 1994 Kansas Law._

Chloe could barely hear the muffled reading but caught the words. _Death Penalty_. "Lex, you're going through with this? I know you have it in for him, but he's your blood. Lex we talked about this."

Unemotional and cold, he looked at Chloe and squeezed her hand. _You didn't answer my question. Lex, your not that cold hearted, are you?_

"You ready?" She looked up at Lex with a fearful look on her face. Leaning into her, he whispered, "Trust me."

Lex let go of her hand and took a step forward. Chloe could see his demeanor instantly change as he stood up straighter and again lost all expression in his face. It was, Chloe thought, time for the showdown as the courtroom doors opened.


	15. The Gavel Drops

Chapter 15 – The Gavel Drops

The doors opened in the back of the courtroom as Lionel Luthor sat at the defendant's table, smugly confident. Dressed in a charcoal suit, he was prepared to win and leave the courthouse unscathed and redeemed.

In the last appeal that had taken place, the court found in his favor after Lionel was able to somehow prove that the damaging evidence from Chloe's phone message was fictitiously created. Lex remembered the day he came back to the hotel and saw Chloe crying, watching the news report. He vowed that Lionel would pay the last time around. Lex had since contacted numerous experts sent them the phone message records and in turn had all of them be experts for the prosecution. From the informant he had in his father's gaggle of lawyers, Lex knew his father had no case now.

The courtroom participants collectively gasped when Lex and Chloe appeared in the doorway and made their way down the aisle. Lex stopped halfway down the aisle and motioned Chloe to sit on the end of the row. Chloe looked up at him and took a deep breath. She knew there was no time or moment for pleasantries between them now. She just hoped that all this would be over soon and she and Lex could be alone.

Lionel waited a moment to not appear anxious then turned around. By the time he did Lex had already made his way up the aisle and was staring down at his father. The rage that Chloe saw in Lex's eyes scared her. Not for the fact that he was angrier than she had ever seen him but because she never wanted to make him that mad.

The chief justice looked about the courtroom and called for silence. "Mr. Luthor, this is quite unexpected. You and Ms. Sullivan's very presence in this courtroom could change the outcome of your father's future legal issues. Although, I speak for everyone that it is nice to see that you both are in deed alive and well."

Chloe saw Lex take a deep breath and push his way up to the main courtroom floor. _Lex, I hope you know what you are doing. _

"I would like to speak freely." Lex clasped his hands in front of his body and waited for a reply. He could feel his father's eyes piercing through his flesh as he faced the justices.

He watched as the justices called the defense and prosecution to confirm their feelings on letting Lex to speak.

"Mr. Luthor, you realize we are nearing a verdict?"

"I am aware."

"Proceed."

Lex took another breath and faced his father. "Here we are dad, you failed again. I can tell from the look on your face I'm the last person you thought you would see. However, I would hope that someday you might thank me as I'm going to thank you. For showing me what I never want to be. I would rather die before turning into you." He paused and then halfway laughed. "Wait, that's what they are considering for you? How ironic." He turned to the justices and then to the prosecutors. "Now to the part my father should thank me for. I am requesting that you not impose the death penalty. I want my father to _pay_ for his sins, and killing him won't do that." He turned and looked at his father. "Dad, I bet you thought you had finally won. Well, game and match – I outplayed you – I found out that you had planned to blow up the Luthercorp jet that was going to Dallas. So, I changed the rules. I had the jet you blew up placed safely out of harm's way. Then, I had one painted and those people that 'died' are in this courtroom. All the photos and video were fabricated by mixing the video of the one you blew up and the one my assistants got on. Yet you knew that everything looked and sounded so real from the pictures to the witnesses that you were sure you had taken care of everything, including killing your own son."

Lex took a deep breath and watched as his father adjusted in his seat. He could see Lionel's jaw tighten as he looked at Lex from under the hair in his face. Lex looked back at the prosecution and grinned an evil smile as he leaned on the defendant's table. "By the way, I hear the sentence for attempted murder is a pretty steep penalty too." Lex stared at his father.

The justices listened intently as both sides of the courtroom continued scribbling notes about the changes in the case.

Turning around and again speaking to the justices, Lex went on, "Simply put, I want my father to rot in the most uncomfortable, disgusting jail that this country can possibly provide, confined to himself where his threats can never go past being threats. I want him to die _there_." Lex stood frightening still as his father's jaw tightened again at the sound of his son's proposal.

Lex nodded at the justices and slowly walked up to his father. Kneeling next to his father, Lex spoke barely audible into his father's ear, "I hear your treatments are painful – the more the better old man. By the way, you're not dying by lethal injection was not my idea. Seems your future _daughter-in-law_ has more of a heart than I do."

Lex stood up and moved to sit next to Chloe. Putting his hand around hers, Lionel spotted the small ring on her finger and grimaced. Lex moved his arm around her when he could feel her shaking from his father's cold stares.

The court deliberated for several hours while people moved about the courtroom. Lex and Chloe sat in the courtroom and waited, trying to avoid the crowd of reporters that had gathered outside the doors. They didn't look at each other or anyone else. Keeping their eyes firmly to the ground, they both contemplated what was about to happen.

_He did it. I thought for sure he was going to let him die. I couldn't have had that much influence on him. This is Lex Luthor – the one who never lets anyone into his business on purpose and yet did exactly what I asked. I just hope I didn't make a mistake by asking for this._

"Kansas Supreme Court now in session."

The Chief Justice began the verdict. "In the State v. Lionel Luthor, we reverse the verdict of the lower court for the death penalty in this case." Chloe spied to see Lex's facial expression not change but just continue to stare at his father. "However, in light of the testimonial plea from Mr. Luthor's son, the court has decided to honor the request. Therefore, Mr. Lionel Luthor," the chief justice turned to the defendant, "you will be confined for the duration of life in ADX Florence, in Colorado."

Lex watched as his father sat motionless at the table. He knew his father didn't want to let Lex see his reaction to the harsh verdict. ADX was not exactly the Metropolis prison system; his father now would be sharing time with those such as Eric Robert Rudolph until his death, whenever that may be.

"Let's get out of here. Don't speak to anyone until we get to the car." Lex took Chloe's hand and gently motioned her to follow him.

"Lex," he heard his father speak to him. Pausing where he stood, Lex squeezed Chloe's hand as if he was in need of her strength. "Son."

Barely looking over his shoulder, Lex lowered his head, "No. Not anymore. We're done here."

Lex wrapped his arm around Chloe's shoulders and walked out the courtroom doors to the barrage of flashbulbs and screaming reporters.

_Please don't let me turn into one of these reporters. _Chloe and Lex pushed slowly through the crowd meeting up with the Kents holding the other end of the reporters at bay with help from the police and Lex's security that had arrived. _I love you Lex. I'm sorry it ended this way._


	16. Homecoming

_A/N - To the curiosities of my faithful readers, this isn't nearly over. Please keep reviewing and I'll keep posting. Otherwise, I just write it for myself, which is not nearly as fun. So here are two more parts; the second is really short._

Chapter 16 – Homecoming

Chloe sat curled up in a blanket on the couch in the Luthor mansion. She stared into the fire that seemed to always be burning no matter what time of year. It had been several hours since they arrived back at the mansion, and Lex had already left her for work.

_Well, here I am – the love of his life and I'm alone. I knew that he would come back here and forget me – that I was just some distraction until he got back to business._ She looked down at the small ring on her finger_. I knew this would happen, but I still love him._

"What would happen?" Lex walked through the side door and sat down next to her on the couch, kissing her gently on the cheek before handing her some hot tea. "I'm glad you still love me. What's going on?"

Chloe stared at him, "Did I say those things out loud?"

"Yes. Now, what's going on?" Lex sat back, putting his arm around her shoulders and intertwining the fingers of his other hand in hers.

Chloe sat the tea down on the table and laid her legs across his on the couch. "I just want to make sure that we aren't making a mistake. You are back working and living in your home and I really have nowhere that I belong. I mean, I have no job, no school."

"Stop," Lex gently replied as he covered her mouth with his fingers. Running his hand through her hair, he took a breath and tried to put together his thoughts. Chloe waited patiently, strange for her, to let him answer her. "Chloe, you're going to finish school and graduate. You can stay here or get your own place; I know what I would like you to do, but you can make your own decision. You get to go back to the Daily Planet – I have already talked to them. And yes, I am back to work, but that doesn't change my feelings for you."

Lex put his arms around her waist and pulled her small body up onto his lap as she leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. "You promise," Chloe whispered as she could feel tears well up in her eyes.

"I promise." Chloe sat up and looked at his face to see what he was really saying. Locking eyes with her and smiling, she could tell it was the truth.

"Sir," Chloe was startled as Lex jumped at the sound of his butler coming through the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but you and Ms. Sullivan have guests."

Chloe climbed off Lex's lap and stretched before Clark, Lois, Jonathon, and Martha walked through the doors. Chloe leapt off the couch into Lois' arms and hugged her.

Lex smoothly walked across the room and shook Jonathon's hand.

"Lex, it's good to see you and Chloe back and safe. I'm sure you are so relieved about your father," Martha spoke sweetly as Clark had gone to join Lois and Chloe's reunion.

"Come, sit." Lex offered the two of them something to drink and joined them on the couch facing them. "We are glad to be back and to put this all behind us for the last time. Thank you Mr. Kent for watching over my life. I know that we haven't always been on the best of terms but you are an honest man and I needed someone I trusted my life with. Mrs. Kent, thank you for watching over the business as much as you could. I know it was a lot to take on but if you ever want to get back in the game, come see me."

Martha handed Lex the folder he had given them just a couple weeks ago as well as another folder with additional printouts in it. Lex thumbed through the papers as Lois, Clark, and Chloe joined them. Before Chloe could sit down, Lex pointed at his desk and asked, "Chloe, could you bring me that leather binder?"

Chloe picked up the binder that Lex had been working out of for the last few weeks and sat down next to him. Martha and Jonathon shot Clark and Lois a surprising look when Lex took the binder from her and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He pulled the pen out of the pocket and did some quick figuring.

"Jonathon, did you bring your contract?" He and Jonathon both pulled out their respective halves of the contract. "Now, rip it up." Jonathon looked at Lex and then proceeded to do as told. Chloe threw the scraps in the fire where there would never be any proof of the tradeoff.

"That about covers it; I'll get my accountants to double check it, but I have a feeling that the number is respectably close." Lex signed and handed the check to Jonathon. Jonathon's eyes widened as he handed the $500,000 check to Martha and Clark. As he started to speak, Lex cut him off, "Mr. Kent – that was the deal. You make money, you keep it. It's not nearly enough for all the trouble I seem to cause your family, but it's the fair profit amount minus of course the amount you owed me for your farm and the $1 I owe you from the trade."

Jonathon looked at Martha and remembered. Lex had bought the farm a year and a half ago and Jonathon never could pay him back. Jonathon voice cracked in amazement, "Lex, thank you."

"Thank you and if you want some advice from me, some that you might actually take, let your wife make the investment decisions – she's very good." Clark looked at Lex and smiled as he saw Chloe wrap her arm through Lex's.

Lois spied the gesture and gasped. Sarcastically, Lois smiled and talked through her teeth, "By the way, Chloe, how are things going?" Lois waited – she didn't want to be the one to ask the fated question that everyone was wondering after spying the ring on her finger.

Lex sat forward where he could see Chloe's face and smiled. "Lex and I are engaged," she spoke softly to the crowd around her. As if needing to clarify, she added, "and we're happy."

After several moments of awkward silence and strange giddy glances between Lex and Chloe that made Lois feel ill, of all people, Clark called for a toast. "To Lex and Chloe, may you now live…happily…ever…after." Everyone looked at Clark as if he was crazy and started laughing. "I couldn't come up with anything and you weren't helping," he retorted looking at Lois' perturbed look.

"Thank you Clark," Chloe got up and hugged him. "Thank you for everything."

"I think we should be going and let these two get some rest," Jonathon remarked as he took Martha's hand and headed for the door. "Clark, you and Lois can come visit later, but we need to go." Clark and Lois both hugged Chloe, and Clark shook Lex's hand. Lex reached to shake Lois' hand but was still responded to with an eye roll and a "hhmph."

Chloe walked the four of them out to the front of the mansion as Lex watched from the office balcony. Smiling, he walked back inside and opened the safe in the bookcase. There it was – what he had acquired while Chloe thought he was working. He quickly closed up the safe when he heard her come around the corner.


	17. The Real Proposal

_A/N - Thank you for waiting patiently...been knocking about around Texas and on other story ideas. Anyway, there's much more of the story...just hang in there...it's going to start moving a little faster withsome help of some of my fav episodes. Thank you to all the wonderful reviewers that are steadfast!!!!_

Chapter 17 – The Real Proposal

"Hey you," Chloe whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist, "are you interested in a movie?"

"In a minute, come here. I have something to show you." Lex grabbed their coats and led her outside.

Sitting her down on the edge of the fountain, he sat next to her. "I never realized how beautiful the grounds are here. Especially with you here." She could feel him shiver as she wrapped her hand in his.

"Come on Lex. What's going on? You're not the dating one-liner type. What gives?" Chloe searched his face to find where he was going with his statement. She watched as he breathed harder as he ran his fingers through her hair and down her cheek. She smiled trying not to look suspicious at him.

"Chloe, do you trust me? I mean I know you have had your doubts and our past history. And I know we're together, but I have to know." Chloe could see from the look on his face he was worried that she may still have doubts and needed her to ease his worry. She had never seen Lex so concerned about anything least of all feelings.

"I trust you. Lex, what's this all," she paused as he knelt down in front of her. She swallowed hard as she could see him visibly shake as he removed the small box from his pocket.

"I wanted to do this right where you wouldn't tell our kids someday that I proposed to you while we were on the run." Chloe and Lex giggled at the statement – obviously made out of nervousness. "So, Chloe Sullivan, will you marry me?" Lex looked in her eyes and waited. He knew she had already said yes, but he didn't want her to have said it out of desperation. He wanted to know for real.

Leaning in and barely grazing his lips, she whispered, "Yes." Closing their eyes, they softly kissed as Lex gently slipped the more Luthor size ring on her finger on top of the small antique. Chloe hugged Lex and smiled sweetly at him as she started to feel tears well up in her eyes. Suddenly she pulled back and held him by the shoulders.

Lex looked at her stunned, thinking she was backing out. "What?"

"Kids?"


	18. Cupid's Arrow and Other Stuff

_A/N - Must advance the Clois story a little..._

Chapter 18 – Cupid's Arrow and Other Stuff

"Have a good trip – don't hurry back." Clark waved as his parents pulled out of the driveway and headed to Metropolis for a plane. With all the investigating and work over the Christmas break, thanks to Lex, they had not been alone in quite some time. But sitting on the amount of cash Lex had given them, the chance for the trip of a lifetime for a Kansas farmer to Fiji for the island's summer break was not something either of them could pass up. Even after much prodding, Jonathon had come to terms with Lex's new giving nature although he still didn't truly trust him, but was willing to give him a chance. So, when Lex approached them about using his home there for Valentine's week, Clark insisted before his dad could say no.

Lex, on the other hand, had much more pressing work issues that took precedent for that week, which killed him since he couldn't be with his future bride. He marveled how Chloe could get so much accomplished not only at school in half a day but also working for the Planet by correspondence, but he was happy that she stayed busy. He was genuinely happy about finally having someone that had the same drive and independence as he did. He even found a way to overlook her reporter instincts when she did a story that involved him or Luthorcorp.

"Hey," Lex called from his seat from behind his computer. Not feeling like he had to hide from anyone, he left the doors to most rooms open in the mansion now. Chloe stopped in her tracks and peeked around the corner.

"Yes?" she said sprightly as she walked across the room and sat on Lex's lap.

"Why don't you get me out of the office for a bit. I feel bad you being cooped up here all the time while I work." Lex scooted Chloe off of his lap and proceeded to shut his computer down.

"I thought you had to work? Besides, I just got home a little bit ago and was going to relax."

"Well, work can wait – seems everyone I am trying to talk to has romance on the brain and I can't work anyway, so," he pulled her closer to him and lifted her off the floor, wrapping his arms around her waist, "you pick out a good romantic movie, I'll call for some snacks and meet you in the bedroom."

She started to walk away as Lex cleaned up the folders round his desk. Turning she looked at him funny, "The bedroom? You have that private theatre."

Lex walked around the edge of the desk and pulled her to his body, huskily whispering, "I don't plan on finishing it – the movie that is." He could see Chloe blush a little by the way he was acting, not expecting him to drop everything, even tonight. As she pulled away, she jumped a little when she felt his slight smack on her ass.

Turning around, she scolded him jokingly, "You're bad. Hurry up." Lex laughed as she walked out of the room.

Looking down at his cell phone, he cursed himself in taking the phone call. He hoped it would be short. "What?"

"_Sir, we were able to acquire the information you wanted about the projects your father left unfinished. There are some interesting findings that we are going to check out tomorrow. Would you like me to email them to you?" _Lex sighed hard and closed his eyes.

"Yeah, I won't see them tonight but will look over them first thing in the morning. Is there anything that looks newsworthy of my attention now?" Lex sat back down and opened his computer. Waiting for the file to come up, he listened to the voice on the other line.

"_It's not yet perfected but the doctor has some positive results to show for his year long work with the subjects."_ Lex continued sifting through the email reports.

"Keep me informed. I will speak to you again tomorrow." Lex hung up and looked over the computer documents and files again in amazement. Before shutting the computer down, he encrypted all the documents understanding that the one person that could break the encryptions was living under his roof. He breathed deep again, looking at the only personal item on his desk, a picture of him and Chloe at Kent farm a few weeks earlier. He smiled and headed to bed.

* * *

"Well, Smallville, what's on your agenda? Any new women in your life?" Lois came around the back of the couch and slapped Clark playfully upside of the head. "That did not hurt you wimp," she responded to the awful acting job that Clark played.

"Actually, I'm staying in – what about you? Any trouble that I'm going to have to bail you out of?" Lois sat down across the couch from Clark and curled her feet up. Lois offered him some popcorn and smiled.

"Funny, actually since Chloe and Lex are together, I don't see her much. It's not just because she's with Lex – she's just so busy and then is there at night with him." Lois hunkered further back in the couch as did Clark thinking about how Chloe had finally found someone, even if it was Lex.

"I have to admit it but they work in some strange way. Not exactly opposites but far enough apart that they work well together." Clark looked at Lois as she looked back at him. Both paused trying to figure what the other was thinking. Lois got a strange feeling and suddenly shivered. "Lois, are you cold?"

"No, I just got a chill. It's nothing," she tried to answer as Clark reached over the couch and put a blanket around her.

_He is a gentleman even though he's kind of a sweet nerdish farmboy. He's kind of cute the way his lip kind of rolls up when he…oh my God no… not … Clark._

Lois couldn't help herself. She continued to sit and stare at him as he flipped television stations. "Lois, what is it? Something wrong with me – you're starting to burn a hole in my head." Clark somewhat giggled under his breath knowing that he could do that.

Shaking her head back to reality, she laughed it off, "No, nothing – I was just somewhere." She moved abruptly and knocked the popcorn bowl onto the floor and tried to reach for it at the same time as Clark. "Oww," she stammered as she and Clark bumped heads on the way down. "You have a steel plate in your head or something?"

Clark laughed as he continued to pick up popcorn and dump it back in the bowl. "No, I just have a hard head I guess…" Stopping he glanced sideways as she was leaning over.

Lois then noticed it. Looking over at him, she tugged her shirt up slightly in the front and shot him a fabricated smile. "You've got some in your hair." She reached up and gently ran her hands through his hair. He took a deep breath.

"Lois, I was actually not looking there – well, I was – but at the popcorn that you have in your uhhh," Clark reached over and tenderly pulled a piece out of the edge of her top. He saw her eyes close and couldn't believe what he was feeling.

_Lois – are you nuts – she calls you Smallville – she's loud but so – Lois_

Clark moved into her without thinking and kissed her softly on the lips. Lois jumped back and sat straight up on the couch staring at him. He could see her breathing deeply and looking around the room, anywhere but his direction. He started to speak, to apologize, when she crawled across the couch and kissed him back.

Locking lips tightly this time, Clark put his hand behind her head and pulled her closer to him, laying her on top of him. She responded positively by pulling his body closer into his and running her hand up and down his chest.

Sitting back up, the two stared at each other again and waited for the other to stop what was going on. Instead, Lois started unbuttoning buttons on his shirt as he felt around to undo her bra. Looking at her and grabbing her hair, he sat up and kissed her so hard he could hear her moan for more.

_Dammit, who is that?! _Clark slid off the couch and picked up the phone.

"_Hey Clark, how are things going there? Your mother and I are in California for the night and we fly out tomorrow. Are you and Lois getting along?"_

_Yeah, I could say we're getting along, _he thought. He looked over and could see Lois still breathing hard and looking at him with those eyes.

"Yeah, we're … fine. Just sitting around – You know how Lois is." He tried to make small talk, but Lois shot him a dirty look for the remark. "Ok, I'll talk to you later – have a great night!" Clark hung up the phone and looked at Lois still contemplating what had happened.

"Clark, I'm sorry." Lois got up from the couch and carefully walked around him into the kitchen. "I really didn't mean for that to happen and it won't happen again. I guess all this Valentine's stuff got me in the mood. Weird. Anyway, good night." She walked up the stairs as Clark stood in the living room wondering what just happened. Then he heard her talking to herself.

"_Wow – Clark Kent – who would have thought it…I want…Clark." _

Clark sat back on the couch in awe. Halfway laughing, he reached for the remote and turned off the television. _This could be an interesting week._

**Where do you think this is going? Any ideas? We shall see...**


	19. The Changes

_A/N - Thanks for the L&C positive comments...not completely central to the theme but they work here...apologize ahead of reading...I'm not as colorful with description but you'll be able to figure out the episode I'm pulling this from...one of my faves. Thanks for reviewing._

The Changes – Chapter 19

Clark rolled over in his parents' bed and stared at the flowing hair that brushed against his back. The night before was nothing like he had ever pictured and was still not sure if he had even made the right choice. Nothing had actually happened, but the temptation was there and he and Lois had come as close as they could to sex. Clark smiled at her as he brushed her hair out of her face.

"Hey Smallville." Lois pulled closer to him and kissed him while wrapping her arm around him.

"You know, if we're this close, you could call me Clark." He playfully pushed her away and rolled over.

"Where's the fun in that?" Lois poked him in the side and started rubbing his back.

"_It's 7 AM on Saturday, February 24th and you are listening to morning report…" _

Lois and Clark both looked at each other and gasped. "Your parents said they would be home … today." The two shot out of bed and dressed quickly.

"Lois, strip the bed and do the sheets – we can get them done before they get home. I'm going to head out to the barn and do the chores." Clark kissed her and was out the door and down the stairs before she could say anything.

The two had spent every night having dinner together and fighting over the television station, ending up the last few nights in his parent's bed in each other's arms. Lois couldn't believe that she had actually come to enjoy and look forward to Clark's company. Clark was happier with Lois than he had been with anyone that he had dated. Lois was full of life and opinions. He never found her dull, and she never found him boring. Clark wondered how his parents were going to handle the sudden change in their guest's status at the farm. He was concerned that his dad would have her out of the house as soon as he learned of their new relationship. It was bad enough hiding one secret, now he had two.

* * *

"It's Saturday Lex. Come on – you said we could go for a drive or something." Lex strolled past Chloe back into the closet and picked out a tie. Chloe followed him, leaning up against the now closed door. 

"Chloe, honey, I said this would only take a bit. The longer you stand in front of the door, the longer it takes." Lex gently pushed her aside and proceeded to tie his tie. Chloe sat on the bed and thought, _it was worth a shot – he could only say no._

"Then take me and we can go from there. I'm dressed and I promise to be a good girl." Chloe gave Lex her famous smile and shoulder shrug that she knew he couldn't refuse.

Looking up at the ceiling, he huffed and gave in. Chloe jumped up and kissed him and ran out the door for her purse. He followed her down the hall and out to the car. "No funny business and this is completely off the record. Clear?"

"Crystal." Chloe had grown accustomed to seeing and hearing things that she was not privy to printing unless found out about it without Lex. They had two arguments previously about business dealings that she wrote about and later found out wasn't her information to print. The two arguments led to Lex spending nights at the different plants just where he and Chloe wouldn't be in the same house. They both hated the feeling and had since made the deal – snooping at the mansion was off limits. Since then, Lex had tightened security and Chloe told the Planet she was not covering him anymore.

"Put these on," Lex ordered as Chloe looked at the weird lab equipment and the doctor in a lab coat.

"Care to explain?"

"We're irradiating seeds with meteor rock to find a way to help farm production. But the fruit that is edible isn't quite edible. It's rotten when you taste it. So, we've been trying some different things and think we have a solution." Lex handed her a pear and watched her bite into it. Expecting her reaction, he held out a towel when spit the chunk out and gasped.

"That's awful." Lex nodded and tossed the pear in the garbage. Turning to the doctor, he waited for the call.

"Ok, sir, here we go."

Chloe stood and listened as the doctor kept increasing the heat and watched the rock change colors. "Lex, I'm nervous – this doesn't feel right." Lex wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in closer. Just then, a flashing light came from the rock and an alarm sounded.

"Sir, the system is out of control. We need to go!" Lex turned and started out the door with Chloe as the equipment exploded. Seeing Chloe fall, Lex tried to stand her up and was shot with a bolt of electricity from the overheated specimen, sending Chloe across the room.

"Chloe, wake up honey." Lex took her limp body in his arms and drove her to the hospital. He sat next to her bed and waited for any sign of movement.

"What happened?" Lex saw Clark stick his head in.

Lex slid his hand out of hers and walked out into the hospital hallway. "We were at the plant doing some research and it went completely wrong. The doctor says the concussion isn't too bad but she needs some bedrest."

"Can we see her?" Lois pushed by Lex not waiting for an answer but Lex pulled on her arm.

"The doctor said wait before bringing in a lot of people. She needs the quiet right now and frankly I want to be alone with her." Clark and Lois watched as the usually very calm and discreet Lex Luthor broke down in tears. "This is my fiancée and I hurt her. I knew it was wrong to take her but she insisted – how could I do this to her?" Lex sat down in the chair in the hallway where is bodyguard was usually placed for her.

Lois felt almost sad for him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, she tried to comfort him. "Lex, Chloe is a stubborn woman – kind of runs in the family – she had much a part of this as you do, if you're telling the truth about her wanting to go." Lex looked at Lois, and she could see he really didn't mean to hurt her. He was sad, emotional. "Lex, she's going to be okay."

Lois and Clark watched as Lex walked back in the room quietly and shut the door behind him. Looking through the window they could both see him holding her hand and what they thought looked like _praying_?

* * *

A few hours later, dressed in all black, Lex Luthor appeared in Colorado. "I'm here to see the warden." The guard looked at Lex with squinted eyes and dialed someone on the phone. Lex waited while staring at the man and looking around the small check in room. 

"Mr. Luthor, we didn't expect you." The warden came out and greeted the Lex, leading him into a small office of the corner of the entrance. "Have a seat sir. What can I do for you? I have to say that your father is good hands and you have no reason to check in on him." The warden sat back in his chair confident that he could satisfy Lex's qualms.

"Actually," Lex stated as he sat forward and handed the warden an envelope. "We have a really nothing to talk about except for where would you like me to pull the car around." Lex sat back in the chair and grinned, waiting for the warden's expression. "I assure you that you can call any one of those numbers and they can verify the information is correct. I'll wait."

The warden excused himself and walked out to the main office area, making numerous phone calls and rubbing his head. He walked back into his office and looked at Lex.

Without missing a beat, Lex stood up and chided, "So, where shall I pick him up from?"


	20. Home is Where the Heart Hurts

Home is Where the Heart Hurts – Chapter 20

Chloe sat up in the bed as Lex walked into her room with a breakfast tray. Sitting it down, he kissed her gently on the lips and pulled out the paper. "I guess I shouldn't be mad about this one. I almost get you killed; you write a damaging article about me – call it even?"

Chloe laughed as she picked up the paper, "Not even close." He knew she was somewhat joking but he never wanted to put her in that position again. She touched his hand and smiled, "but you taking care of me does earn you some points." Lex leaned in again and kissed her before leaving the room. Chloe continued eating and reading the paper, knowing that everything was going to be ok.

Later that morning Lex walked through the wine cellar looking for something nice to send the doctor as a thank you gift. "I would go for a nice red wine – a good heavy bottle." Lex turned around to look at himself.

"What the hell?" At the same moment he hit the floor after being nailed across the head from the wine bottle in his hand.

"Too easy." Putting the wine bottle down, Lex pulled the other body into a closet, tying him up and covering his eyes and mouth. "Good riddance." Walking back upstairs, he saw Chloe coming down the hall.

"Hey, so what's on your agenda today? My head is still hurting but I have to get up and do something." She continued talking but Lex halfway grinned and headed into the office. Chloe was disturbed. "Hey, what's the problem?"

Turning around, Lex faced her, looking at her like he was about to scold her. "Look, I have a lot of work to get done here so if you could just keep yourself entertained today."

Chloe walked up behind him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Lex, what happened since breakfast – you're acting weird." She moved around the desk to meet him as he tried to walk away from her. Grabbing his hand, she demanded, "Lex, I'm talking to you!"

Lex turned around and grabbed her by the arm, "I don't want to be bothered right now – so go out, write your little stories, and leave me alone." Walking her to the door with her arm in his hand, he tossed her into the hall and pulled the doors closed.

Chloe wasn't done with him; he couldn't have turned a 180 that quickly. Barging back through the doors, she confronted him again, "LOOK! TELL ME WHAT THE HELL YOUR PROBLEM IS! TWO HOURS AGO YOU WERE FINE." Seeing that he continued to ignore her, Chloe waited for some kind of response. Rubbing her fingers through her hair, she started crying. Walking up to him, she beat on his chest and pleaded, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

Looking her in the eyes, his expression was completely blank. Lex took her and threw her down to the floor, "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU – I HAVE WORK TO DO – GET YOUR STUFF AND GO!" Chloe sat up off the floor, clutching her arm, and watched as Lex flipped open the computer and spun around in the chair to not face her. She was stunned. Getting up, she ran into her bedroom and tied her arm in a makeshift sling and started pulling bags out of the closet.

"Miss Sullivan?" She could hear one of the maids come in, wondering what was going on.

"We just had a fight and I can't stay here." Chloe could barely make out complete words as the maid helped her stuff things in bags in a hurried fashion. The maid noticed that Chloe winced every time she picked up something with her wrapped arm and couldn't believe that Lex would have done something to her. Sobbing, Chloe slumped in the chair in the corner, speechless. The maid walked over and took the cell phone from her hand and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"_Hello?"_

"Hello? This is Jasmine at the Luthor mansion. I'm not sure what happened but I trust that Miss Sullivan called you to come retrieve her. She and the master had a fight." Jasmine waited for the person on the other line to make some kind of response. She could hear yelling on the other line.

"_We'll be right there – have her outside and no where near Lex." _The female voice on the other line was shaking in response.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

* * *

Chapter 21 – The Shadow in the Basement

Lex awoke to a horrible headache and a dark room. Waiting for his eyes to focus, he felt around and knew he was locked in a safe in the mansion's basement. Just then, he noticed that the door was opening. Squinting because of the sudden light, he could see two figures standing in front of him.

"So, what do you think we should do with him?" Lex breathed harder in shock and fear as he saw the other version of himself and his father. His father – the man that could end his life and Chloe's. Chloe.

"We can't kill him – we don't know what it would do to you, son?" Lionel laid his hand on the other Lex's shoulder as they both grinned at each other in agreement. "We can leave him for the time being."

Lex tried to back up to the shelves in the closet as the two moved toward him. "You know – that Chloe is … annoying… and gone."

"What?!"

"Don't worry son, she's just out of your life – we don't have time for trivial high school students and we'll take care of her soon enough. We're actually more concerned about all the damage that you have done. Putting the Kents in charge of our financial future – what were you thinking? Besides, there are a few unfinished projects that I didn't quite get covered before you locked me up. Then we'll worry about cleaning up your mess." Lex pulled away as his father tried to touch his face, hurting the back of his head yet again by hitting the wall. "Son, it's for the best."

"Don't you touch her," Lex forced out through the ever increasing tears. Slumping against the wall, he could only whisper, "Chloe."

"Son, if you had just let things go then you wouldn't have put yourself in this position – it's amazing the amount of bad choices your heart has made – now your alter ego here, " Lionel continued as he grabbed that Lex's shoulder and smiled, "has no heart and has made no false moves since you've been out of commission."

"No one is going to believe that you are me. Chloe's probably already onto you."

"Really," the alter ego Lex walked over and grabbed Lex's chin, "that's why she cleaned out her closet and left the mansion. And I'm pretty sure that your so-called friends are going to finally believe that you are your father's son." Standing up, he smiled at Lex as he nodded and started crying. Turning to look at Lex, he responded to the tears, "And that is EXACTLY why you're in here and not running the business anymore."

Lex looked up and grimaced at the prospect of what his father had created as his father and his double laid down something for him to eat and drink. "What if I refuse and kill us both? "

"There are ways," his double responded as the door closed in front of him. He could barely hear voices as the lights went out again in the closet and in the crack under the metal door.


	21. Shadow in the Basement and Not My Lex

Chapter 21 – The Shadow in the Basement

Lex awoke to a horrible headache and a dark room. Waiting for his eyes to focus, he felt around and knew he was locked in a safe in the mansion's basement. Just then, he noticed that the door was opening. Squinting because of the sudden light, he could see two figures standing in front of him.

"So, what do you think we should do with him?" Lex breathed harder in shock and fear as he saw the other version of himself and his father. His father – the man that could end his life and Chloe's. Chloe.

"We can't kill him – we don't know what it would do to you, son?" Lionel laid his hand on the other Lex's shoulder as they both grinned at each other in agreement. "We can leave him for the time being."

Lex tried to back up to the shelves in the closet as the two moved toward him. "You know – that Chloe is … annoying… and gone."

"What?!"

"Don't worry son, she's just out of your life – we don't have time for trivial high school students and we'll take care of her soon enough. We're actually more concerned about all the damage that you have done. Putting the Kents in charge of our financial future – what were you thinking? Besides, there are a few unfinished projects that I didn't quite get covered before you locked me up. Then we'll worry about cleaning up your mess." Lex pulled away as his father tried to touch his face, hurting the back of his head yet again by hitting the wall. "Son, it's for the best."

"Don't you touch her," Lex forced out through the ever increasing tears. Slumping against the wall, he could only whisper, "Chloe."

"Son, if you had just let things go then you wouldn't have put yourself in this position – it's amazing the amount of bad choices your heart has made – now your alter ego here, " Lionel continued as he grabbed that Lex's shoulder and smiled, "has no heart and has made no false moves since you've been out of commission."

"No one is going to believe that you are me. Chloe's probably already onto you."

"Really," the alter ego Lex walked over and grabbed Lex's chin, "that's why she cleaned out her closet and left the mansion. And I'm pretty sure that your so-called friends are going to finally believe that you are your father's son." Standing up, he smiled at Lex as he nodded and started crying. Turning to look at Lex, he responded to the tears, "And that is EXACTLY why you're in here and not running the business anymore."

Lex looked up and grimaced at the prospect of what his father had created as his father and his double laid down something for him to eat and drink. "What if I refuse and kill us both? "

"There are ways," his double responded as the door closed in front of him. He could barely hear voices as the lights went out again in the closet and in the crack under the metal door.

Chapter 22 – Not My Lex

"I told you something was going to happen – it was inevitable." Lois continued her rant of Lex to the pain of Chloe until Clark put his hand on Lois and gave her the look to shut up.

"Look," Chloe whimpered as she held her arm coming out of the emergency room. "I know Lex and I know that he is sometimes aggressive but he has NEVER yelled at me and wouldn't dare lay a hand on me. That's not him – I don't care what you say."

Clark assisted her into Lois' car and then leaned over to her, "I'm going to go check things out." He tried to reassure Chloe that he would be careful and watched as Lois pulled out of the parking space. Knocking on the window, he pleaded to Lois, "Go easy on her."

Lois and Chloe drove in silence back to the farm where Jonathon and Martha were waiting to help her out. They all sat around the kitchen table as Chloe recounted the actual events that day through her tears.

"That's not him. I love Lex, but not that version of him. That monster may be part him, but that's not what he's really like." She stood up and started up the stairs. "And I'm going to find out what happened."

"Chloe, I think you should just stay out of it – I think there's more going on than we know about." Jonathon and Martha shook their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, there is and that's my point. That's not my Lex and I want to know where mine is." Chloe continued upstairs as the three sat at the table in silence.

"LEX! We have to talk." Clark barged into the mansion's library where Lex was typing away at his computer. Walking over, he pushed the screen down on Lex's fingers and waited for an acknowledgement.

"After all this time, still no call ahead." Lex slid his fingers out from under the computer screen and rubbed them. Leaning back in his chair, he looked at Clark, "I guess that my ex-fiancee ran to you for support."

"Your ex? She didn't even know – what is up with you?"

Lex stood up and started toward the bar, "Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm fine – just very busy so if you could leave – I might get something done." Walking back with a drink in his hand, he hit the panic button on the side of the desk. Clark watched as he saw the security entered the room and took him by the arms. "Show him out."

"We're not done." Clark looked at him and turned.

"You're right. But not today." Clark shot a look of shock back at Lex as he noticed that Lex was smiling at him. Shoved out of the mansion door, he stood on the steps and waited – listened and looked for any other clues. Chloe may be right as he spotted a figure he had seen before.

"Well, what did you find out?" Chloe ran out the door to see what Clark had to say.

"Chloe, I think you're right – that's not Lex." Chloe smiled as she knew she was right. Lois and Jonathon had since walked up to see what was going on. Chloe rushed back into the house to pursue the chance her Lex was still alive and waiting for her. Seeing Lois follow her, he stopped his father. "Dad, I think we have a bigger problem. I x-rayed the mansion and there's a figure in a basement room filled with computers and other equipment that looks a lot like Lionel Luthor."

Jonathon took a deep breath, "Are you positive?"

"Pretty sure – I need another closer look around – I know you don't want me to, but no one else is going to get in there except for me – if Lex is still alive and this is really a split personality, Chloe's Lex is in that mansion somewhere." Jonathon knew he couldn't keep Clark from investigating it. He just shook his head as Clark walked back in the house.

"Just be careful."

* * *

Entering the garage, Lex smiled at his father in approval. "I see that everything is in order. Shall we be going?" Lionel followed Lex into the darkened limo and looked over at his 'new' son.

"You really think that this project will work?" Lex closed the file folder he was going through.

"Dad, with you involved – it'll work – I mean you are the genius behind it. You just brought me in to help you and I thank you for that." Lex smiled back at his father as he continued reading through the paperwork.

'_Current Acquisitions for 33.1,' _Lex read as he flipped pages with multiple faces and names from Chloe's files over the past three years. He halfway laughed to himself, _maybe I should have kept her around – she was a great source._

Clark watched as the limo pulled away from the mansion, and he could see two bodies laughing and toasting each other, knowing that it had to be the alternate Lex and Lionel in the car. Moving around to the side of the house, he was stopped by a guard.

* * *

"I was just looking for Lex." The guard took him by the arm and started him back up the walkway.

"He threw you out earlier today – that should be a sign that you're not allowed back here." Walking him past the gates, Clark grimaced as the guard closed the gate.

"Look, have you not talked to Lex today – he's not himself – that's not the real Lex Luthor." Clark continued pleading with the guard as the guard headed back up the hill toward the house. "COME ON, HELP ME OUT HERE." Clark finally gave up when he saw the front door of the mansion close.

* * *

Clark returned to the farm and waited for Lois and Chloe to return from the plant where the explosion occurred. After begging the guards at the plant, Chloe convinced them that she had been there during the actual attack and wanted to check out what really happened.

"Chloe, look at this." Chloe took the piece of cloth from Lois's and felt it. It had a strange black residue on it. "I found it over here in the corner." Chloe stood and recounted the position that she and Lex had been standing in.

_Oh God._

"Chlo, what is it?" Chloe grabbed Lois' hand and raced out to the car. Getting in the car, she heard as Chloe called her research affiliate. "Where do you want to go?" Chloe wrote on a small pad, _Met U. and then_ _the mansion_.


	22. Back Home

Chapter 23 – Back Home

"Just drop me here. I'll call you." Chloe got out of the car and headed up the steps.

"Chloe," Lois jumped out of the car, starting to plead with Chloe.

"Lois, go home and wait for me to call you – I have to take care of this on my own." Chloe shoved her key in the lock just as the guard opened the door for her. "Hi. I wanted to have another go with Lex."

"He's not here right now Miss Sullivan, but you're welcome to wait for him. How's the arm?" The guard helped her to her room and waited to see if she needed anything.

"It hurts but bones heal." The guard excused himself as Chloe started going through her closet as a ruse. When he departed, she headed out the other door of her room through the one that connected to Lex's room and the office. Sneaking into the office, she looked around and listened. Not hearing anyone coming, she quietly opened the box on the shelf and pocketed the object in it, _just in case._

"Where's Chloe?" Clark ran out to Lois's car as she got out.

"At the mansion – she said she wanted to figure out what was going on and that she was the only one that was going to be allowed in there. Clark I am really worried about her – if he comes back and finds her there, who knows what he will do to her." Lois fell into his arms and started to cry. Breathing heavy, Clark closed his eyes and held her for a moment.

"I'm going over there." Lois grabbed his hand as he started to the truck. "Clark, don't – I need you." Lois continued pulling on his hand. "Lex will kill you – he'll kill both of you." Clark turned and kissed her passionately and hugged her.

"I'll be fine – we're both going to be fine." Clark got in the truck and drove away.

Chloe continued to tool through the room as the computer loaded. She keyed past the firewall of the computer and started searching the files for the last few days. Stopping on one folder, she noticed that many of the files were identical to the ones from her computer. _He's been stealing from me – not my Lex but still – oh God. _Chloe continued reading the file, swallowing hard realizing that her research just set up a massive experiment that Lionel had first started. Sitting back in the chair, she couldn't believe what he had started, what she had helped to start.

"Nice to see that my fiancée is taking an interest in my business dealings. Why don't you just ask." She peered over the computer screen to see Lex leaning over the desk, eyes firmly glued to her. As he pulled the cord out of the computer, he leaned further over the desk, pressing the screen down. Almost close enough to touch her lips, he whispered, "Now, why are you home? Want to go make up?" He smirked as he held his hand out to her.

Chloe got up out of the chair and walked around the opposite side of the desk, trying to avoid him. He moved closer to her as she stopped. She could feel that electricity that she usually felt with his touch as he ran his fingers along the sling her arm was in. "I'm so sorry honey."

"I'm not your honey," Chloe breathed as she pulled herself away from him. Starting to the door, she watched as he passed and closed the door.

"Not so fast," he responded as he turned back around and walked toward her.

"That's close enough." Lex stopped suddenly when he saw Chloe pulled his gun out of her bag sitting on the corner of the couch. "Back off. What's 33.1?" She could see Lex's eyes get bigger when she posed the question.

"You shouldn't get involved in things – I always knew you were a nosy little bitch. I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to kill you because actually there is a little of the old me in here and we could have been a great couple." Chloe held the gun steady as she heard the words roll of his lips. Trying to not concentrate on the words, _bitch_.

"BACK OFF!" Lex stepped closer to her and held his hand out to pull the gun off her. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" Suddenly the gun went off, and she dropped it on the floor as Lex fell backwards onto the floor.

From outside, Clark watched as Chloe shot Lex in his office but his hearing alerted him to another area of the mansion.


	23. RIP? and Shadow in the Bunker

_A/N - thank you for the input! Enjoy! r/r please_

Chapter 24 – RIP?

Clark continued to follow the screaming from inside the mansion as he x-rayed the building, trying to avoid having to hurt any guards. Breaking a window, he jumped into the basement to find several locked vaults. Listening more intently, he could groans of pain coming from the vault in the corner of the basement. _Lex._

"Lex, how do I get the door off?" Clark yelled and waited for an answer. Hearing the groans had subsided, Clark closed his eyes and prayed that Lex was ok but unconscious. Putting both hands on the handle, he jerked the door out of the hinges and laid it on the ground. He saw Lex slumped over on the floor with his hands and legs still bound. He was holding his stomach, which was bleeding. Clark picked him up and ran him up to the office upstairs.

"Clark, I think he's dead." He could see Chloe leaning over another bleeding body bawling. She was pressing his coat up against the bullet wound. Tears continued to fall on Lex's body, "I killed him."

"Chloe, I think we have a problem." Chloe looked up as Clark put the other Lex down on the floor next to the other body. "Now, Chloe, you remember what happened exactly at the plant that caused this to happen?" Chloe crawled over to the other body and placed her hands on her face, starting to bawl again. She laid her head on his chest, hugging his shoulders. Her Lex. Clark pulled her hands off of him, "Chloe, you gotta help me or we could have a real problem. He could die. Think."

Chloe sat up and recounted the events in the plant from a couple of days ago and tried to put the pieces together. She looked up at Clark.

"What?"

"We need a meteor rock and a lot of heat."

Clark breathed in heavy and closed his eyes. "How much heat?"

"I don't know exactly. It was enough to cause the green meteor rocks to turn to onyx – almost black." Chloe held Lex's hand and squeezed. She could hear him barely breathing and touched his chest. "Clark, there's barely a heartbeat. You gotta do something."

Clark paced in the office thinking how he could possibly bring Lex back in one piece without giving up his secret. After listening to Chloe's pleading and hearing Lex's heart beat to nothingness, he knew he had no choice. "Chloe, you have to keep what's about to happen a secret, even from Lex and Lois, and we won't discuss it. No one can know."

Chloe looked at Clark in confusion. "Ok," she barely whispered. Clark shook his head and supersped out the mansion door, to the house and back. When he got back a few seconds later, Chloe was still sitting on the floor with a stunned look on her face. "How did you?"

"You promised we wouldn't discuss it. Now, you want him to live right?" Chloe held Lex's hand and shook her head.

Clark laid the lead box that Lex had given him years ago down between the two bodies and went up the stairs to the library. "Chloe, open the box, put both of their hands on it, and then get out of the room." Chloe did as Clark instructed and left the room. She waited outside in the hallway as she could see a blinding light come from office and hear Lex scream in agony. She sunk into a ball in the hallway and waited until the light was gone. "Chloe, close the box, quick."

She walked in and shut the box just as Clark zipped through the office and disappeared with the box. Laying there next to it was Lex, still unconscious but complete. Clark returned and listened. "His heart's stopped again. The electricity from the crystal started it momentarily. We need to get him to the hospital. Do you trust me?" Chloe shook her head yes as she watched Clark pick him up and head to the door of the office. "I'll meet you at the hospital." Clark then was gone, with Lex in hand. Still in shock from what she had seen from Clark, she picked up her bag and headed for her car.

* * *

Chapter 25 – Shadow in the Bunker

"Sir, Lex has been compromised." The man on the other line said solemnly.

"_Is he dead? Is my son,"_ Lionel stopped realizing what could have happened.

"No sir, I don't believe so, but the second has been eradicated in some measure."

"_Fine." _Lionel hung up the phone and sat at his desk in the hidden bunker. Looking at the computer screen, he watched as the footage from the mansion's office showed some kind of explosion that Chloe Sullivan and Clark Kent were involved in.

Turning back to the other computer, he looked over the file open on the computer dealing with 33.1. _Well, son, you messed up again._ Lionel smiled as he continued to go over sketches of the new facility he was building unbeknownst to his son or son's fiancée.


	24. RIP Part II

_A/N - Sorry, but I have some nagging problem putting Lex in the hospital in my fics._

Chapter 26 – RIP? Part II

Clark noticed his parents and Lois arrive shortly after Lex was taken into the emergency room. Chloe must have called them while she was on her way. "Clark, is he going to be ok?"

Clark came out of the emergency room covered in blood and sat down in the waiting room. "I don't know – he's in pretty bad shape, with the trauma of the rejoining and all. The doctors wouldn't talk to me – they want to talk to Chloe first." Clark saw Chloe walk through the emergency room doors in a panic.

"Where is he?" Clark pointed at the double doors as Chloe ran off down the hall through the doors. Lois grabbed Clark's hand and leaned against his shoulder, sighing. She didn't like Lex but Chloe needed him.

"I'm Chloe Sullivan, I'm Lex Luthor's fiancée – I need to talk to the doctor." Chloe stood tapping on the counter waiting for someone to respond to her. She wished she was actually Lex because no one would make him wait. After a few minutes, the doctor came out of a small trauma room and walked toward her.

"Miss Sullivan, I'm afraid that Lex has been down for awhile. We have him on life support but he's struggling." Lois watched through the small window of the doors separating the waiting room. She ran through the doors as she watched Chloe fall into the arms of the doctor. Holding her up, she could tell from the look on Chloe's face, things were grim.

"I want to see him." Chloe could barely get the words out.

"The police are not quite sure that would be a good idea. You shot him." Lois straightened up as two Smallville officers walked up to Chloe. Chloe started shaking her head no and pulling away from the officers. "They only want to talk to you. I already told them that you were in here after he hurt you, and it's a domestic issue. But without Mr. Luthor's statement, they have to be by the book," the doctor apologized.

"I just want to see my fiancée." Chloe screamed down the hall as the officers took her into an empty office. Clark walked up to Lois and held her hand. "Can one of us see him? His father is out of the picture and we are his best friends." The doctor rolled his eyes in thought and shook his head.

"This way." The doctor motioned that just Clark enter the room. "Don't take too long."

Clark walked in and saw Lex baiting for breath, even on the ventilator and watched as his eyes fluttered. He looked at all the machines and noticed the very faint heartbeat that matched the shallow breathing. Pulling the chair over to the bed, he leaned against the bed rail. "Lex, you gotta wake up man. You have to help Chloe. She's just a shell without you. She needs you. We all need you."

Clark sat in silence in the dimly lit room until he fell asleep. When he awoke he saw that Chloe had finally been allowed into the room. She had the other chair pulled up against the bed and her hands wrapped in Lex's, breathing with his every breath, as if it would help him. "Clark," she whispered, "Go – I'm ok." Clark looked over at her. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her cheeks were red and warm from worry, but she needed to be alone with him. He nodded and quietly left the room.

"I love you Lex. Don't you leave me," she whispered as she rubbed her fingers across his cheek and head. She heard a machine beep and looked up. The nurse walked in and silently changed the bag of fluids and checked his vitals. Chloe watched as she walked around the room completing small tasks, filling out charts, and cleaning up. Chloe breathed deep when the nurse finally left and closed the door.

For three days she never left his side. She fed him ice cubes one at a time and cried as his breathing slowed and sped up randomly. She fell asleep on the couch next to the bed finally after 72 hours.

"Hmp." Lex loosely grabbed the railing and shook it. Turning his head, he could see Chloe sleeping on the couch and tried to get her attention. "Chloe," he hacked, not being able to speak with the tube down his throat. Finally, he wiggled the pulse monitor off his finger to send a shrieking sound through the room.

Chloe shot off the couch in a panic and grabbed the bedrail. She felt a hand come up and touch her. Looking down, she smiled through her tears now welling up in her eyes. "Lex," she whispered as she took his hand and sat in the chair next to the bed. "You scared me, all of us." Chloe watched as he looked at her funny and tried to speak. "Don't speak – you can't until they get that thing out of your throat. I meant the Kents and Lois – everyone has been really supportive." Lex shook his head and ran his hand along her face and through her hair. Smiling at her, he motioned to her he wanted to write.

Handing him a pad and pen, he wrote "_I love you. Thank you. Now get these tubes out of me." _

Chloe smiled and headed out the door. Lex lay in the bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking. _She stayed with me – she loves me._


	25. Rehashing the Days

Chapter 27 – Rehashing the Days

Lex and Chloe returned to the mansion after spending the morning checking out of the hospital and convincing the police that Chloe did nothing wrong by nearly killing him. He refused to press charges and would testify in her behalf so there was no case. Walking into his office, he took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry I broke into your computer. I hoped it would put you back together so to speak. Or at least find out what your other half was up to." Chloe helped Lex to the couch and waited for the retort.

"It's ok. Bring me the computer. You find anything interesting?" Chloe put the computer down on his lap and turned it on. Lex typed in his password and waited for the history to open up.

Chloe leaned over and looked at the list of files that were last opened. "Lex, it's not there – the file that had all my information in it and about the experiment that your father had been doing before prison. Your alter Lex had started it up again." Lex could see the look of fear in her eyes as the files didn't appear.

Putting his arm around her, he closed the computer and kissed her on the side of the neck. "Let's not worry about it right now."

"Not worry about it? Clark saw your other half leave the mansion with Lionel." Chloe stood up and started flailing her arms in fright. "Your father is out there somewhere no doubt trying to plan another demise for the both of us. Before it wasn't much since he just was going after me and you separately, but he's got something bigger planned. Lex, I can feel it."

Chloe got up and took the laptop over to the desk and started going through old files trying to find the ones she saw earlier. "Lex, how much do you remember? From the separation?" Lex walked over to the desk and looked over her shoulder as she punched more buttons. Looking up as she waited for his email to open, Lex marveled that she casually broke through every security measure he had right in front of him.

He looked back at her, "Nothing from the split – if I did, I would pursue it. Chloe, let's bother with this tomorrow." He tried to take her by the wrist as she pulled her hand away.

"No, I'm not giving up on this – I don't want to end up dead again." Chloe got up and started for the controls to the cameras in the mansion. In the same instant, Lex grabbed the remote from her. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"As it happens, right now, I just want to be with you. Look, I understand that somewhere out there is my father but I've decided he can't run my life." Chloe sat down in front of the computer madder than Hades. She couldn't believe Lex was putting off his father's escape that easily. Taking her hand in his, he knelt beside her there behind the desk. "I will find him – in my own way. He's going to be out of our lives once and for all. I promise – remember I said I will protect you long ago, that hasn't changed. Trust me?"

Chloe looked at him as she rubbed his cheek before looking back at the computer. On the email list was several messages that hadn't been deleted. Chloe continued reading, noticing the date. "Lex," she shifted in the chair and stared at him. "You knew about this before the split? Are you kidding me?" She pushed the chair away from the desk and stormed out of the office.

Running down the hall after her Lex gingerly grabbed her around the waist from behind as she fought to get away. Letting go, he just grabbed her by the wrist, realizing the pain from his ribs was still intensive. "Calm down! I only got that information from some informants that had been researching what my father had been doing before the breakout – that's it – I swear!"

Pulling out of his grip, Chloe turned and screamed back, "Trust you? We're getting married and you're keeping secrets like this from me? Are you mad?!" Lex reached out and touched her arm, "No, don't touch me!" Chloe pulled away and headed down the hall. Lex followed her but heard the bolt lock turn and knew he wasn't getting in the room tonight.

Lex went back into the office and sifted through the security tapes and found nothing. Yes, his father and his alter ego had been all over the mansion but had not left one traceable piece of evidence. He reread the emails that had gotten him evicted from his own bedroom. _What are you doing dad?_

Calling his informant back, he waited as the other line went silent several times before the man returned. _"Mr. Luthor, your father was last seen getting on a plane to Twin Falls Idaho. That was yesterday. We lost him there."_

"You find him and call me back – I want to know exactly what he's doing there." Lex hung up the phone and sat back in the chair at the desk staring at the blueprints of something that had been neglected to be deleted from the personal recycle bin. "Gotcha."

Walking slowly down the hall, he slinked down on the outside of the locked door. "Chloe, I have someone tracking him as we speak – I found a set of blueprints on the computer that were in a place you didn't check. Baby, open the door, please."

"_Where is he?"_ He could hear her move closer to the door and sit down on the other side.

"In Idaho. He can't exactly do anything from there. Please, we'll solve this but I need your help by trusting me – I'll tell you everything I find out but…" Lex couldn't continue to plead – it wasn't his nature. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door, and ran his fingers under the door.

He felt a soft touch and gentle squeeze. Pressing his eye lids together closer, he heard the lock turn as Chloe pulled the door ajar enough for him to see her face flushed from crying. He pushed the door open slightly more and took her in his arms. "I'm sorry – I'll never keep anything from you again. And we'll take care of dear old dad together, but not tonight." Lex wiped her eyes as she buried herself into his chest and sobbed.

* * *

The next morning after Lex was released Clark and Lois found themselves at the Kent's dinner table looking at Clark's parents. They weren't exactly angry but more concerned. Jonathon finally quit pacing, "Clark, how long has this been going on?"

Clark looked at the tabletop, wiping it with his fingers, "Umm. Since the week you and mom went away." He looked up as his mother's jaw dropped. He could see his father's pacing increased. Looking to the side, he could see Lois start to open her mouth as he squeezed her hand under the table. She immediately closed it.

"How come you didn't say anything? I mean if you had come to us with this we might not be as upset as we are now. I mean what were you thinking sleeping in the loft together?" Jonathon waited for the moment to sink in and continued, "Lois, I think I need to talk to him alone."

Lois looked over at him and grimaced. She knew this was going badly. "Good luck," she whispered as she kissed his cheek and walked away. Clark could feel his face get flushed from her kissing him in front of his parents. He figured it was now in the open and she didn't care what they thought.

"Lois and I are in love." Clark waited another moment until his father looked like he calmed down. "And I know what you are going to say – that with my abilities that something could happen. Well, actually … nothing does. At least nothing super." Clark's eyes searched all over the kitchen to look other than his father.

Jonathon moved in closer. "I hope you were at least safe." Clark shook his head yes and got up from the table.

"Look, it's happened and I love her. I think we should just come to the realization that I've entered another part of my life. Dad, I'm 18 and graduating from high school, and."

"And you're still under my roof." Jonathon started the inevitable speech but Martha took his arm. Shaking his head, he realized his son was growing up and that he and Martha had been the same way.

Martha took Clark's hand and pleaded, "Just be careful."

Clark smiled and walked outside where Lois was kicking up dirt on the drive. "I think we're in the clear. He's not happy – come to think of it, mom isn't either but I think we've avoided the onslaught." He wrapped his arms around Lois and smiled before kissing her.

"I think I should move out somewhere until you know they're more comfortable with the idea. I actually asked Chloe if I could move into the mansion and she was going to ask Lex. I really hate that idea but I don't know what my other options are anymore." Clark looked at her in astonishment.

"The mansion?"

"Actually I got you something better than that Ms. Lane." Clark and Lois both spun around as Lex and Chloe headed up the drive from Lex's car, with Chloe holding the keys.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Clark hugged both Lex and Chloe. He felt Lex wince and backed off. "Sorry, I guess you're still a little tender."

"Yeah, a little, but I have this great nurse and lots of wonderful drugs." Everyone laughed as Lex wrapped his arms around Chloe and kissed her. "Anyway, Lois, here are the keys to your apartment in town. It needs some cleaning but it's paid for. It's a little place above the Smallville Ledger building, which I bought this morning. They were going under so my fiancée asked me to save it." Lex looked down at Chloe and gave her a gentle squeeze.

Lois looked at Lex in shock. "Thank you. This is really not needed." Lex refused the keys back and started heading for the car. Clark noticed he was still slightly limping as he got in the car.

"Chloe, is he really ok?"

"Doctors say he's making much better progress than they ever expected. I just hope he keeps getting better. He just can't drive yet, so," Chloe rattled the keys as she hugged her friends and headed to the car.

"Chloe? What else is going on?" Clark caught up with Chloe as she walked away.

"What do you mean?"

"What are you not telling me Chloe – I know you and Lex are engaged and all but I know you and something's not right." Clark looked puzzled as he waited for her answer.

Hesitating, she hoped that Clark would abide by her pleas, "Lionel is still free, and Lex and I are trying to figure things out." She could see the expression of Clark's change from confusion to anger. "Now Clark, let me and Lex handle this. This has nothing to do with you and I don't want you involved." She looked back at Lex sitting in the car with a more and more concerned look on his face. Chloe moved in closer to Clark and whispered as she acted like she was hugging him. "Check out Idaho though." She leaned back and smiled before she got in the car.

"What was that all about?" Lois walked up and wrapped her arms around Clark's waist.

"Nothing. So, why don't we go check out the apartment?" Clark grabbed Lois' hand and headed for the truck as he watched the Porsche pull out of the driveway.


	26. Moving Forward

_A/N - Well, I kind of skipped over most of season 5, mainly because I didn't want this story to go on forever, but I also needed the timeline to match the show a little. So, there's a brief overview of season 5, or what would have been, and I leave it to your imagination how all the things mentioned would have panned out if detailed._

Chapter 28 – Moving Forward

Graduation was odd at best. After everything that had happened in the last year, Chloe couldn't believe that she had actually graduated with her class. She never asked but knew that Lex had something to do with it since she had virtually no credits to her name that year. And yet, the gang was almost all together. As a joke, Clark had penciled a stick figure of Lana into a picture of him, Chloe, and Lois sitting at the lunch table together in the yearbook.

Lex sat comfortably with the Kents watching the small town ceremony. For once he had made the realization that Chloe was always much more than a high school student but yet knew she was just that – a graduate of Smallville High. He smiled and applauded quietly when she crossed the stage with Clark and Lois. Chloe knew there was no way he would show any emotion in front of the town but she didn't care. He was there, and that was a start.

Graduation night Lex threw a party for the entire graduating class at the mansion complete with a band and fireworks. People in town had been skeptical when they heard that Chloe and Lex were engaged but happily intrigued when they walked in together. Lex was actually smiling for the cameras, even when Chloe kissed him.

In June of 2005, Chloe and Lex got married in the mansion's garden. It was much less lavish than the typical Luthor affair, only inviting those closest to them. Lois was, of course, the maid of honor and Clark was the best man. Lex was pleased to have the group back together again in harmony. He was touched even more so when Jonathon answered, "I do," to the preacher's question of, "who gives this woman." After five years, things between him and the Kents were on better footing than they ever had been. Lois and Clark continued seeing each other and got closer. Chloe had overheard Clark actually asking Lex how he proposed to her. She wondered what was Clark was thinking.

For over a year, Smallville seemed to be at peace. Lex had gotten Luthorcorp involved with a car maker in Japan and convinced them to build a plant in Smallville, making the town double in size almost overnight. Of course, Lex saw the bottom line by owning most of the subsidiaries that supplied the plant. Chloe now served as associate editor at the Smallville Ledger and had plenty to write about with the plant acquisition and the new building of homes in the immediate area. Lex pushing for her to move forward, she accepted a job at the Daily Planet and commuted almost everyday with the help of Lex's helicopter.

Clark and Lois both headed for Kansas State for their freshman year. From the last phone call, Chloe suspected that Clark would pop the question sometime soon. Jonathon and Martha were concerned about the relationship but were happy that Clark had finally moved on after Lana.

They were also busy. Jonathon ran for state Senate on the stance of the small farmer blasting the big business car plant in Smallville. Although Lex had run against him, Lex's past family history was hard to ignore, at least for the voters. In the end, Lex did as Chloe asked and conceded graciously, very unlike his father. Lex and Jonathon never talked about their political views outside of on-air debates, knowing that could ruin something they finally had – a trust between friends. They chose instead to work together after Jonathon's win to improve the energy efficiencies of the new homes in the area. Martha opened up a small bakery in town, something she had discussed with Lex and Jonathon, the dream she had since she had moved to Smallville with Jonathon. Everything was on track.

And yet, there was always this nagging feeling - a feeling of being watched that Lex and Chloe both could feel. Lex had repeatedly tried to locate his father while Chloe worked with her own source for knowledge, which she still refused to divulge. Lex was disappointed she kept secrets and didn't trust him, but he tried to comprehend a reporter's confidentiality and left it alone.

* * *

In a dark bunker in the middle of Idaho, Lionel walked down a hallway where several people were screaming at him. Stopping at one cell, he looked in and watched as the person kept snapping his fingers and marveled at the fire from them. He smiled and checked off the name on the clipboard and walked back out of the hall. Sitting down behind a desk, a servant brought him his pills, a drink, and the Daily Planet. He was always interested in knowing what is daughter-in-law, who should be long dead, was up to. Unfolding the newspaper, he put his drink down and choked at the headline.

'LUTHOR JUNIOR ON THE WAY – Lex Luthor announces at local charity dinner that wife's due in June.'

Lionel slapped the paper down on the table. "Stan, get me Dr. Bethany."


	27. Questions, Questions

Chapter 29 – Questions, Questions

Lois sat in class staring off into space. She had not heard a word said in the last twenty minutes. Looking down at her notebook, she repeatedly wrote all variations of her name. Lois Kent – Lois Lane-Kent – Mrs. Clark Kent. Nudging her, Frannie, her roommate and class partner commented, "You've got it bad."

Lois refocused and slightly giggled at the mess she had made of her chemistry notes. She really didn't care much since she was failing the class anyway. Preoccupied with getting to go home with Clark for the weekend, she couldn't concentrate on anything else.

On the other side of campus, Clark paced back and forth in the dorm while frantically talking on the phone. "I'm still not sure if I should tell her."

"If you ever want her to trust you completely, you have to tell her. You can't wait until your kids start throwing couches across the room to break the news to her," Chloe replied.

She could hear a heavy sigh over the phone. "I guess you're right – she just has to know before – I just don't know what to say. I mean just saying, 'hey, I'm an alien and I want to marry you' seems a little overbearing."

"I didn't mean it quite like that. Maybe something a little more subtle would work," Clark heard Chloe cover the phone handset even though he could still hear her saying 'hi' to Lex. "Hang on, Lex wants to talk to you," Chloe stated as she handed the phone to Lex.

"So, you pop the question yet?" Lex said almost jovial – he had sounded like that for the last week since he and Chloe made the big announcement.

"No, I haven't quite figured out how to. I want to do something special but nothing comes to mind." Clark waited as the other end of the line went dead momentarily.

"I've got it – everyone's coming here for New Year's. We're having a fireworks show and a buffet dinner until after midnight. Granted there's going to be a lot of shop talk and politics but I'm sure you might find a moment of quiet. I'll even set up a nice champagne spread in the private gardens for you if needed." Lex waited for an answer to his proposal.

Clark couldn't believe that Lex was setting up everything, and for Lois. He didn't even like Lois regardless of who he had married. But this was the new Lex. In the past year and a half he had given away over 20 million in charity donations, bought back his mother's old farm as a family retreat, funded 100 percent of Smallville High's expansion, and paid for all of Jonathon's publicity in his run for the United States Senate. Clark chuckled as he responded, "Sure. That sounds like a great plan. Now I just need to get the nerve."

"You have a ring?" Clark pondered for a moment what he could do. He could get the biggest diamond he could find easily but people would suspect something or think he got his parents to pay for it. Evidently taking to long to decide, Lex cut into his thoughts, "Never mind – I'll find something for you."

"Lex, you don't have to."

"Never mind Clark; he's gone. Now back to the other question. What are you going to do?" Chloe had stolen the phone back.

Clark thought and figured that Chloe would find out some time, so then was as good a tie as any. "I think I'll take her flying. Go somewhere exotic and explain everything."

Chloe was stunned. "Did you say flying? When did you learn how to fly?"

"Well, it kind of developed over time – I was running real fast one day trying to get to a store before it closed and my feet kind of left the ground. So, at night, I've been practicing. I flew by the mansion a couple of nights ago. By the way, you should keep your bedroom escapades in the bedroom."

Chloe turned bright red, thinking that Clark had seen her and Lex trying something new. "You shouldn't spy on people like that," she said flatly.

"Well, I didn't exactly come and peek in the window – you shouldn't be naked in the garden."

"Ok, from now on I'll let you know before we do anything." Chloe burst out in laughter at the face that Clark shot her.

Clark turned his lip up in disgust, "TMI…Anyway, I have to go – I'll call you and let you know how it all goes."

"Will do – good luck." Chloe hung up the phone and walked into her husband's office. He had recently remodeled and Chloe liked the new layout. Gone were the leather couches with no neck support replaced by dark brown leather suede that you could sink into. The brooding sculptures and tapestries were gone, replaced with flowers and bright modern art pieces of her liking. The pool table was moved to the entertainment room to make way for the Angora rug and playpen. Chloe insisted that the piano stay because Lex played it for her to relax. She slightly giggled remembering the first time she had heard him sing and he wasn't that bad. The major change was the absence of the bar – Lex had finally given it up – no alcohol on the grounds – ever. Instead, he had a refrigerator installed behind one of the bookshelves right under his personal safe. He figured it would soon be filled with juice and baby bottles.

"Hey beautiful," Lex beamed as Chloe strolled into the office. Coming around the desk, he met her at the couch. "So, what do I owe the pleasant disturbance?"

Chloe looked around the room once more and commented, "You've changed so much, but you still have the gun. Why?"

Lex looked at her with concern. "I have to have some protection – I can't just be vulnerable." Lex waited for her to respond but nothing. _She's not pleased_, he thought to himself.

Taking her hand, he looked into her eyes, "How about I have it put on the highest shelf only I can reach and under lock and key. That way small fingers can't get to it."

Chloe sighed as he continued waiting for a response. "I suppose, but if anything happens..."

Lex pulled her hand into his as he cut her off. "Nothing is going to happen. Besides I have a lot less enemies now than I did a couple of years ago." He gently touched her face as she leaned back in the pillows and threw her feet up into his lap. Looking at her he couldn't believe how lucky he had become after so many miserable years.

**Wow, that sounds like a good ending to me.**

**J/K**


	28. The Confession and the Bigger Question

_A/N - Ok, since my joke is backfiring on me I'll post to let you know that this story does have a better ending and leaves **nothing** unresolved. Here goes another piece._

Chapter 30 – The Confession and the Bigger Question

Lois and Clark walked toward an empty park after having dinner when Clark stopped. "Lois, we have to talk."

Lois looked at him, eyes as wide as saucers, "Oh no, you are not dumping me here. I know we've been busy lately, but that's not fair."

Clark glared at her and interjected, "You think that I'm dumping you? What gave you that idea? Actually, if anyone's getting dumped tonight, it's going to be me."

Lois looked at him in astonishment. Why would she dump him? He was the Jack to her Jill. "Why would you say that?"

Clark pulled her down next to him on the empty bench. "Lois, I have something to tell you, and I hope you won't hate me for waiting so long." He watched as Lois squinted in confusion, but she patiently waited for him to continue.

Clark took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I'm not who you think I am. I'm not from here." He paused as Lois looked even more confused. "Ok, remember when I seemed to always run off when something happened or someone was in trouble. I was actually helping."

"What?" Lois was almost sarcastic with her response.

_This is not going well_, Clark thought to himself. He took another breath, taking her hand in his. "Here it is – My real name is Kal-El from Krypton. I'm from another planet and I was sent here to help Earth, I think. Anyway, I have some abilities and get sick around green meteor rock." Clark could tell from Lois' expression that she was in shock, and he realized that he may have rambled a little too much all at once.

Clark waited. She had not let go of his hand; hopefully that was a good sign. Five minutes passed as she studied Clark from head to toe. Lois had seen him naked – he seemed so real. Finally she looked up at him. "So, what can you do?"

Clark pursed his lips in a forced smile thinking that if she was asking questions, she was still interested. "I can run real fast, see through things, hear real well, and," Clark stood up with Lois and her around the waist, "do you trust me?"

Lois looked blankly at Clark, "Why the hell not." Clark looked at the ground and wondered if she was upset as she sounded. Finally running out of patience, she snorted, "Well?"

Clark closed his eyes and lifted the two off the ground. He felt Lois grab him harder and squeeze his hand. "Oh my God," was all she could come up with.

She watched as the city went by under them, staring down at all the people and cars they passed. _He's really flying_, she mused as they continued past Metropolis and the air got warmer. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

Lois flew in silence trying to take it all in. _He's an alien, but completely human. I'm mad but not really – at least he told me the truth. I wonder how many other people know? I wonder how he deals with his secret? He's had to live like this all his life, hiding from people – how sad. _She felt somewhat betrayed by him not telling her until now but figured it was the best way.

"Hey, where are you?" Clark looked over at her as she felt ground under her feet again.

"How long was I out?"

"A couple of hours. What have you been thinking about?"

Lois started walking and felt sand in her shoes. Stopping in her tracks, she turned to Clark, "Where are we?"

"St Thomas," Clark paused, "we have a room if you want." His voice trailed off knowing that after everything that she had been put through, she may actually reject him.

Lois stopped in her tracks and beamed at Clark. "St. Thomas? As in the island?"

"Yeah, Chloe kind of set it up. She heard from Lex that it's a romantic place and we have a nice place to stay." Clark stuck both hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels in the sand. Seeing Lois' smile creep along her face, he took a deep sigh and approached her.

Putting his arm around her, he asked, "How are you, really?"

"Well, my boyfriend's an alien kind of is awkward – really Clark I am trying to take it all in. And I still love you." Clark could feel his heart jump a little knowing he hadn't been completely rejected.

Lowering to one leg, he saw Lois' face go pale. Pulling a box out of his pocket, he took her hand as he flipped the box open. "Lois Lane, will you marry me?"

Clark took a deep breath and waited. Lois stared at the ring as her mind wandered through all the things that had happened to them in just the last few hours, in the last few months. He was asking her to marry him. He was the boy that she had heard about holding another candle for so long. He would be devoted to her, yes but was she ready to deal with that other aspect of him? She knew she would have to share herself with the rest of the world someday – she could feel it.

Looking up from where she had traced lines in the sand with her toes, she noticed Clark standing in front of her, waiting. "So, will you marry me?"

"Clark." She pressed her hands against his chest, thrusting herself backwards, "shut up – just stop!" Clark backed off and stared at her. "This is a lot to take in and I just need to take some time." Lois started off down the beach, stopping briefly to remove her shoes. _I really love him but can I possibly deal with all of this. But I love him so much._

Lois stopped and looked down the beach where Clark now was sitting, watching the waves crash. He had told her everything and she had all but rejected him. He was so confused about what to do next. He felt so stupid, emptying his heart and hoping now she wouldn't just go and tell someone his secrets.

Lois watched as Clark picked up shells and flung them as far the eye could see, some reaching what she thought was the horizon. Walking back over to him, she sat down and took his hand, "I'm sorry I blew up at you – it's just a lot to process."

She waited but Clark didn't respond. "Does anyone else know about…you?"

Without making eye contact, Clark responded vapidly, "Chloe – I had to in order to save Lex when she shot him. Other than that my parents."

"Oh."

Clark turned to Lois and pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone about me – I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you – I just wanted you to know. And I guess the marriage thing was a big mistake."

Lois wrapped her arms around him and slid her hand into his. Softly she whispered, "Clark, I'll never tell a soul – I love you, but I'm not quite ready for that road yet."

Clark looked despondent. Putting her head on his shoulder, she heard him quietly respond, "I love you too."

Sitting up quickly, she grabbed Clark's face in her hands. "Hey, I have an idea! Let's just take a break and enjoy each other's company. I want to sleep on all of this and clear my head." Lois stood up and pulled on Clark's arm.

"Yeah, I guess we should get home," Clark answered blandly as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"No," Lois retorted as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I meant where is this place you said we had?"

Clark looked down into Lois' eyes. They were sparkling. She smiled as she brushed her lips against Clark's and opened her mouth to allow him to kiss her. Clark returned the gesture as he pulled her closer and filled her mouth his warmth. Running his hand through her hair, he kissed her longer, leaning her back and again into him.

"Let's go," Clark took her hand and headed to what undoubtedly would be a very overpriced room since Chloe booked it for them.


	29. The Shadow Spins a Web

Chapter 31 – The Shadow Spins a Web

Chloe sat at her desk at the Daily Planet barely able to keep her eyes focused on the screen. She blinked repeatedly as she typed. "Hey! You ok?" Startled, she looked up and grabbed at her chest as Clark sat down in the chair next to her desk.

"Don't do that? And no I'm not ok; I slept about two hours last night between the fits of morning sickness. Lex isn't much better for wear. He called me about an hour ago and said I should come home where I could go back to bed with him. Clark, you think I'm nuts for trying to balance all of this?" Chloe pushed the chair back from the desk and pointed at the desk and her still flat belly.

Clark shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Chloe, you aren't nuts – just overly involved."

"So, what did you come here for anyway? I know you don't just up and come for nothing," she spoke as she slowly made her way to an empty conference room to devour the crackers from her desk drawer.

Closing the door behind him, Clark sat down next to her and his expression changed. "What's Lex found on his father?"

"Nothing – the informant turned up missing about a month ago – the day after we announced my pregnancy."

Clark moved in closer to her and handed her the file that she had given him of the blueprints that Lex had on the computer. "I've taken several spins around and the only thing that remotely looks like what Lex gave you is this set of bunkers built in the River of No Return Wilderness area. Supposedly there's nothing there, but there's a tunnel under one set of falls that leads to a very large setup under one of the most famous mountain systems ever painted."

He stopped and waited until Chloe had finished her water and flipped through the pictures he had taken carefully while there.

"Chloe," he took her arm in his hand, "Lionel's not there – at least not anymore. But go home and watch this. And watch your back." Clark waited for her to respond.

"What did you see there? What's he doing?"

"The 33.1 emails that you saw on Lex's computer – those were directly related to this project that his father has evidently had in the works for a long time. The files that Lex's alter ego stole from you – those people have all been collected and are being held in this jail underground. I think he plans on using them for his personal gain."

"You think? Probably to kill me or something. Clark what are we going to do?"

Clark calmed Chloe down by sitting her down in the chair. "Go home – stay with Lex – stay close, don't come to work – say you have really bad morning sickness but don't leave the mansion until we fix this." Chloe shook her head and called for Lex's helicopter.

* * *

Lex walked out to the pad to see Chloe exit from the helicopter. "I heard you were on your way home – feeling worse?" Chloe nodded in affirmation and followed Lex in as he wrapped his arm around her body.

She walked into the bedroom and waited for Lex to close the door. "Lex, Clark sent something to me I think you need to see. He wouldn't tell me where he got it but you need to trust him like I trust you. Ok? No questions. You promise?" Lex sat down on the bed next to Chloe and watched as she shook hitting the buttons on the remote.

When the TV clicked on, he could see why she was terrified. His father was in the video torturing a man shackled to a table and yelling at him to 'complete the task.' Chloe glanced to see Lex cringe every time his father hit the man across the face. She squeezed his hand as he pulled her closer to him.

"_Shut up – complete the task and this will all stop! Do it! Do it now!" _Lionel was yelling from another room now and more intensely as now one of his guards hit the young man. Suddenly, the young man reached out with his hand and grabbed the guard who instantly turned to dust.

Lex's eyes widened as he watched. To not worry Chloe, he masked his feelings for the first time in years. He stopped the disc and as Chloe ran for the restroom. Running behind her, he held her hair back as she vomited again whether from fright or illness.

"I'm ok." Chloe shooed Lex off as she wet a washrag and continued watching the disc. The man who lit objects on fire – the woman who breathed and got the guard to tell the truth about how he felt about Lionel. Chloe and Lex looked at each other in aghast – that was Lex's experiment that he thought he had destroyed. His father had been collecting all this time. Another man touched the guard and switched bodies with him. A little girl melted metal with her touch. Lex by this time had started making phone calls to his new informant about them stepping up their search.

"I don't care – I want as many people on this as possible. Yes, the River of No Return.

I really don't care what you think of the name – get a team together and head that way. I will…" He was interrupted.

"Lex. Put the phone down." Lex clicked the phone closed as Chloe crawled off the bed and over to the television. She hit pause on the disc player and ran her hand along the picture on the television.

"What is it?" Lex walked up and put his hands on her shoulders. He knelt down behind her and enclosed her body in his arms as he felt tears drop on his hands.

"It's my mother."


	30. Home Invasion

_A/N - short but not so sweet..._

Chapter 32 – Home Invasion

Chloe had not left the bedroom in the days that past the video viewing. Lex had posted a nurse with her in the room as well as a guard outside the door. Lois had visited several times but remained out of the loop as far as why she remained at home. Chloe had fabricated the doctor's orders of complete bedrest in order to stay at home.

Lex watched the video of Chloe's mother over and over. Chloe had told him about how she had left her and her father, saying she had to go away. He had no idea for what reason but now understood. She just held the guards badge and convinced the guard to beat the other one to death. He cringed realizing he could have easily become this man his father was now.

Lex looked at his watch and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't do anything about it at this hour. His informants had found nothing. Clark and Chloe had hit a dead end as US Marshals stormed the compound to find everything had been swept clean. Lionel was onto them. It was now December and Lex wanted this resolved before Christmas. The last thing he wanted was another ruined Christmas thanks to his father.

"Two AM," he said to himself. He quizzically looked around the room as the lights flickered. He sat and stared at the computer as the clock rolled over to 2:01 and thought nothing of it. This was Kansas – if there's a storm in the area, the power goes haywire. He walked down the hall and greeted the night guard. Opening the door, he woke the nurse and excused her for the evening. He noticed the bed empty. _She's bathing now? _He pushed the door of the bathroom open and looked around. His heart dropped. "Chloe?" he spoke questioningly as he moved to her closet. Stopping in the middle of the bedroom, he yelled for Damian.

"Yes Sir?"

"Where's my wife?"

"She was asleep sir." The nurse returned at hearing the commotion. "Sir, I assure she never left the room." Seeing Lex's face turn to anger, the guard ran out of the room as he yelled into his handheld.

The nurse tried to save face, "Sir, she was here the entire time."

Lex turned to the nurse and frowned, "How would you know – you were asleep." He stormed out of the room and ran down the hall after the other security guards. Returning, he continued to search the bedroom.

"Anything?"

"Sir, come and look at this." Matt, his private security, called Lex over to the opposite side of the bed where Chloe's nightstand had been moved slightly and her wall outlet was scorched. Lex clicked the lamp on the stand several times, but it never came on.

"Matt, call the electric company – I want to see the records for the last eight hours of activity." Matt followed orders as he left quickly, already with phone in hand.

Lex flipped the phone open and hit speed dial. "This is Lex. Chloe's gone. I mean vanished. Just meet me here at the mansion." He hung up the phone and touched the outlet where only black residue rubbed off on his fingers. He stood in the empty room trying to figure out how Chloe would put her investigative prowess to work.


	31. Electricity

_A/N - Because I am in a good mood after writing tonight...no writer's block on Starting Over...I decided to put up two installments of each...thank you esp to Kit and chica for every review. If you are a lurking reader, just say hi..._

Chapter 33 – Electricity

Clark ran into the mansion office as Lex frantically spoke on the phone.

"You have anything?"

Lex hung up the phone and walked over to the computer monitor. Pulling up the latest email, he motioned for Clark to come look.

"This is a bunker under the Luthorcorp building. Now there is one entrance in and out of this particular location and I am the only one with access. Call it a panic room per se. Now, watch – you see that?" Lex pointed to the slowed version of the video on the computer as a flash of lightning appeared. He stopped the video as the two men stared at the frozen screen.

"What is it?"

"I watched more of the video that you gave Chloe and I have a theory. Let just say I wish my wife were doing this – she's more the wall of weird investigator type than I am but here it is."

Lex pulled up the electrical grid to the mansion and analyzed it down to 2 AM. "There," he pointed at the screen as Clark watched the meter speed up suddenly and then slow back down. "I think whoever abducted her came though the electrical system some way."

Clark looked at Lex and frowned. Could he possibly be buying this? "Lex, are you sure?"

"Clark , I'm telling you that is the only logical explanation. The power to the mansion flickered – and then turned on my stereo in the office at 2 o'clock. There was a power surge and drain. I know it sounds crazy but imagine if Chloe was rattling this off to you – you would believe her." Lex waited for Clark's response.

Clark looked at Lex still confused. Although all the evidence so far was there, it was hard to believe this was coming from Lex. He wasn't exactly Chloe, but had evidently learned something from her as she had learned business from him. "Ok, I give, now what?"

Lex closed the electrical records and opened the video of Luthorcorp. He and Clark watched frame by frame. After the lightning strike, three shadowy figures appeared before the power flickered in the building. "I checked the grids at Luthorcorp – they lost power there as well not an hour later – the only building in the city. I don't think it's a coincidence." Lex shut the computer and picked up his coat, "Let's go check it out."

Clark called Lois from Lex's cell as the two headed for the Kent farm. The two had returned home for Christmas break courtesy of Clark express.

"What did you find out?" Lois asked hurriedly as she jumped in the back of the Mercedes.

"We think that one of those meteor freaks as Chloe puts it pulled her through the electrical current. I know it seems strange but that's all we can figure."

"Doesn't sound strange for Chloe. Where do you think they took her?"

Lex turned slightly to see Lois and responded, "I think that my father has returned to the Luthorcorp building but is hiding in the fallout shelter under the streets of Metropolis. I have no idea what he is doing there."

"I'll give you two guesses." Lois remarked as she sat back in her seat and blankly stared out the window. The three sat silent worrying about Chloe in their own way.

Suddenly Lois broke the silence and asked, "If your theory is correct, what would happen to the baby?"

Clark glared at Lois to drop the line of questioning as Lex shifted the car into a higher gear and stepped on the gas.

Clark touched his shoulder as he could see Lex's expression change from determination to fear. "Lex, we'll find her – she and the baby are going to be fine."

* * *

Chloe sat up as she felt around her. The small light that protruded from under the door showed that the ground was gravel. She was cold. Standing up she felt around but stopped as she heard the door click open. Seeing the figure enter the small room she backed up into the tiny table in the room. 

"Miss Sullivan, oh I'm sorry Mrs. Luthor, have a seat." The figure pulled out a chair for her and motioned her to sit.

"I'd rather stand." Chloe moved around the table as she crossed her arms and glared at the man. She watched as another very large man entered the room and closed the door. Walking over to her, he put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her down into the seat.

"There. Now, how is my daughter-in-law doing?" Lionel crossed his arms and sat back in the seat. He waited as Chloe didn't break her silence and continued to stare intently at him.

Chloe watched as he continued to study her. "Your change of attire is very becoming of you – I'm very impressed. I'm sure you haven't had any problems becoming a member of high society. You were always very well versed. I actually have to say that you do in deed make a good match for Lex." Lionel got up and walked around the table. Leaning against the wall behind Chloe, he continued, "I'm also impressed with the amount of money that you two have donated – you've turned him into a regular philanthropist." He walked back around and sat in the seat as another man brought him a file.

Flipping through the pages, he calmly waited as Chloe continued to look around the room.

With glaring eyes, Chloe broke her silence, "How did I get here and where exactly is here?"

"Always to the point Miss Sullivan." He winked at her saying her maiden name, which made Chloe cringe. Leaning over the table to focus on her better, he motioned for another young man to some in the room. "This is Derek – he's one of your famous Wall of Weird friends from high school who has been very helpful."

"You were in the Smallville Electrical Co-op when the meteor shower hit." The man nodded as Chloe tried to rethink her research on him.

"You see Derek has this amazing ability to travel through electricity, but you already knew that. So, your abduction was very effortless. He simply shocked the nurse enough to knock her out, touched you and the nearest outlet and followed the power lines to here. As to where we are, we're under Luthorcorp plaza."

Chloe was dumbfounded. Lionel had orchestrated this from plans that he had from before. "When Lex finds you…"

"When Lex finds me? You think he'll be angry? You have to remember dear that when Lex was separated, he rebuilt all of this – the new passages with electricity and plumbing – the location in Idaho. Your husband did all of this and just left me in charge."

"He wasn't himself."

Lionel moved closer to Chloe and hissed, "No, he was – that man is still inside him and that's what still scares you even today."

Chloe glared at Lionel as he grinned at her. "You're an ass. I should have never pleaded for you not to get the death penalty."

"Watch your language Miss Sullivan, not very becoming of a lady Luthor."

Chloe sat in angry silence for another few minutes as Lionel looked her over. She still had the bite of the young woman he remembered but had developed strength from Lex he was quite amused with.

"Ok Mr. Luthor, what do you want?" Chloe leaned on the table and waited for an answer as she stared down the elder Luthor. Out of prison, he had returned to dressing in his same cold way but had an anger you could read on his face that wasn't quite there before. Chloe studied his demeanor as he eyed her.

"Simple." He took a sheet out of his file and slid it across the table. Getting up from the table, he could see tears well up in her eyes as she tried to fight them back. "We'll see each other soon, Mrs. Luthor."

Chloe stared at the paper and started crying. She couldn't contain herself anymore. On a familiar headline was a large red circle around Luthor Junior.


	32. Luthorcorp's Hidden Passages

Chapter 34 – Luthorcorp's Hidden Passages

Clark, Lex, and Lois got out of the car in the basement parking garage in Luthorcorp Plaza. "Look, I'm going for my father. Find Chloe and call me when you get to her."

Clark nodded – he knew that Lex had to deal with his father on his own terms. He hoped that Lex wouldn't run into more trouble than he could handle. Lex started off into the elevators of the building when Clark called for him. "Hey, put your phone in your pocket on vibrate. You can speed dial me and leave it on of something happens then Lois and I can pick it up." Clark watched as Lex adjusted his phone and continued off into the building.

Clark turned to Lois but couldn't get a word out before she started. "Clark, what's your plan? I mean you're going to use …" Clark nodded his head knowing that she now understood the advantage of being different. She watched intently as he seemed to stare at everything in the building. He stopped and took a breath. "What?"

"Come on," Clark pulled Lois' arm and headed out of the garage. As they ran across the street, Clark tried to explain, "There's a holding cell of some sort in that empty building that we passed as we were coming. I want to go check it out."

"You mean you were using your … while we were driving?" Clark nodded his head as he backed her and himself up against the wall of a building. Turning around, he x-rayed the building again and pointed at the door. Opening the door, Lois spotted a guard that ran toward them as she whipped around and kicked him against the wall. Clark looked at her amazed. "What?! I may not have powers but I am an Army brat."

Clark shrugged as he headed down the stairs in the building. Lois followed behind him as he opened a door. They both stepped back as the guards from inside started toward them. Clark winked at Lois as they both waited for the guards to come out of the hall and beat them senseless. Walking back toward the hallway, Lois put her arm around Clark.

"I guess we make a good team." Clark wriggled up his lip and kissed her on the cheek as they entered the hallway. "Clark, look at this list."

Lois handed him the list – these were all meteor freaks that had previously disappeared somehow. Clark searched the list for a name or ability that might come into use. Lois looked at the list and slapped her hand down on the page. "What is it?"

"Moira Sullivan – Clark, that's Chloe's mom." The two stared at each other and then at the paper again. Cell 29. Clark had remembered that Chloe said her mom had left but never had given much more detail than that. "Hey, we need to go get her." Clark kept flipping the pages and analyzed the different cells. Lois walked out of the hallway and heard her take down a guard that had since started moving again. Coming back in the hallway of cells, she stared frustratingly at Clark, "Smallville."

"Ok, here are the names of people that would be useful to us. The rest, I guess explain we'll be back for them or something." Clark handed a couple of sheets to Lois as they both headed down the hallway.

* * *

Lex walked into the main part of the Luthorcorp building and up to the front desk. The receptionist, who had obviously had Lex on some level sometime in the past, flipped her hair and smiled but lost her charm looking at his wedding ring. "Call all the security there is in the building and tell them to meet me in my office in five minutes." The receptionist nodded her head and started a silent all call.

Lex headed to his office and paced. He wanted to see Chloe so bad he ached. He went over in his mind what Lois had blurted about the baby and got even more agitated. "Sir?"

Spinning around, he saw his personal security detail and the building's security standing for orders.

"My wife's been missing since 2 this morning, and we have reason to believe my father is here holding her captive in the basement secure cell. I want the building security to sweep every floor of the building. If there is someone you don't know or is not marked, stun them and ask questions afterwards." The men nodded. "Oh, there's a young woman and a young man. The woman in jeans and a white coat and the man in jeans and red coat. Don't touch them. If they have questions, help them." He waved the security off and stared at his personal force. "Come with me."

Lex walked over to his office safe and dialed the handle. Opening the safe, he pulled out the handgun and slipped it into his interior coat pocket.

Heading down in the elevator, he briefed the security team. "Don't let them touch you. Don't look at them. Shoot to kill." He turned to face them as the basement door opened, "But if my wife is anywhere near one…"

"Sir, we understand. Proceed with caution." Lex nodded as the 4 men followed him closely behind.

Lionel sat comfortably in the front room of Lex's lead bunker, looking through the mirror at his daughter-in-law. Chloe was frightened and still staring at the paper that he gave her. Looking up at the man behind him, he chided, "I think it's time that we have ourselves a little operation."

The doctor nodded his head as Lionel motioned for a couple of well placed guards to open the door. He watched as the men entered the room, and Chloe backed up against the wall.

She raised her chin in defiance and strength. Lionel admired her girth but wickedly smiled as the lights from the other side of the room flipped on. Chloe visibly shook as the darkness revealed an operating table. The doctor approached her and laid his hand on her shoulder. Shrugging it off, she kept her head high and clenched her teeth together as two other men approached. From the loudspeaker, she could hear his voice. "Be gentle – we don't want to hurt her."

"HURT ME YOU ASS! YOU'RE GOING TO…" She slurred as one man touched her shoulder and her body went limp into the other man's arms. The man laid her down on the table and placed her legs in the stirrups.

"Sir, there's a problem – we have company." Lionel grimaced as he walked away from the window as Chloe was put into place. Glaring at the security camera, he saw several small figures around a very recognizable Mercedes.

"Take your men and get Roy, Moira, and Clavin out of the pens. You're going to need them."

"Sir, we already called over there – there's no answer." Lionel was enraged. Growling, he walked across the room, picked up a gun and shot the idiot guard on sight. "You," pointing at another guard, "go to the pens and see what the hell is going on!" The guard nodded and ran out the door. Calling Derek back in, he pointed in the direction of the pens, "Follow him and make sure he doesn't run – if he does you know what to do."

Lionel sat back down in the large chair facing the window. He watched as the guard strapped Chloe in and the doctor cleaned his instruments. He was damned if Lex was going to ruin his comeback.


	33. Different Kind of Justice League

Chapter 35 – A Different Kind of Justice League

Lex headed toward the lead door as it opened. Darrell, his security detail, grabbed him by the chest and pushed Lex behind him as the other detail started shooting. Lex ducked behind a wall and dialed Clark.

Clark reached in and grabbed his phone. Hitting the send button he listened as Lex obviously had set the phone down somewhere in the building he was in. Blood left Clark's face as he listened.

"LOIS, HURRY WE HAVE TO GO!!" He screamed down the hall as she and several other people ran down the hall after him. Lois and the others ran to catch up with him in the main part of the building.

"Clark, behind you!" Clark turned around just as a guard ran across with his gun pulled. He glanced at Lois and the others with her and gulped. He stared at the gun, and the man dropped it, screaming in pain and holding his hand. Lois was amused as she watched the gun turn from flaming red to black again. Finishing him off, she kicked him in the stomach and went back to Clark.

"Ok, who here can locate people by just having something of theirs?" The small group of prisoners glared at each other and hunkered over in fear. "Look, I'm not here to hurt you – all of you and your buddies are getting out of here as soon as we find our friends and we need your help. Really," Clark stated as Lois shook her head in agreement.

"I believe them. She's my family." Moira held her hand out to Lois who ignored her hand and wrapped her arms around her. "What's wrong?"

"It's a long story that you might not like. Could we just say that Chloe's involved – she's the one in trouble." Lois grimaced.

A young woman raised her hand. "I need something that I can hold of hers." Lois and Clark looked at each other as Lois started digging through her purse.

"No, I have something." Lois stopped as Moira handed the young woman a necklace. The woman proceeded to hold the chain up to her chest and closed her eyes. Clark was impatient and couldn't stand still.

"This way." The woman led the small party back into the basement parking garage. "She's in there. She's on a metal table and it appears that she's …" The woman stopped.

"What?" Lois glared at the young woman.

"It looks like she's going to be operated on." Lois and Clark choked as Moira covered her face. The young woman hugged Moira as she broke down.

Entering the garage, Clark surveyed the grounds and stopped everyone. "Something's not right." He entered watching as a guard closed the lead door across the parking lot from Lex's car. Lois walked up beside Clark and waited. "I think Lex got in, but I don't know."

"Well, look."

"I can't see through lead," he whispered. Turning, he looked at the ragtag group of freaks that they pulled and thought. "Hey, who melts metal?"

A little girl that another young man was holding in his arms raised her hand. Clark walked over and took her in his arms. "I need you to do me a really big favor and go touch that door over there. We will be right behind you." The girl nodded and walked apprehensively over to the door and stuck her finger out. Clark and Lois gawked at the melting away of the door to reveal a large room and stunned guards.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" Clark yelled as the girl hit the ground. Standing in front of the open space he waited until the guards had exhausted the guns. Lois followed him into the small holding cell and beat up the two men.

"Clark!" Clark glanced up and saw Lex chained to a chair.

"Go get him, I got it here." Lois turned and kneed another man in the groin watching him grab himself and fall.

Clark ripped the lock off the chain. "How did you do that?" Clark looked uneasy and smiled.

"The lock was rusted. Umm, where's Chloe?"

"She's through there, but they got men surrounding my father. He's completely covered by guards." Clark nodded and saw the small crowd behind him. Lex turned wondering who the other people were. "Clark?"

"They're your meteor freaks. There's a whole hallway full of them in the basement of the building across the street. Let's just say none of your projects ever died." Lex could hear the anger in Clark's voice.

"Look, I didn't have…"

Lois walked up and slapped both of them, "Shut up and let's find Chloe – you can fight over the truth later." Rolling her eyes, she started searching the room for a way to get in and hit a small button as the door opened.

Lex stood next to Clark in front of the rest of the group as Lois backed up against the wall and took a deep breath.

Three guards raised their guns in anticipation as Lionel waved his hand at them.

"Dad." Lex stared coldly at his father. Clark and Lois glanced at each other in fear. "Where's my wife?"

"Son, no pleasantries?" Lionel walked across the room as Derek followed behind. Touching his face, Lex pulled away and turned the other cheek.

"Where's my wife?" he said again more matter-of-factly.

"She's right in there. You know she is more amazing than she was years ago. And she's given you quite a glow about you. It's too bad that someday you'll drive her to death like you did your mother and Julian." Lex pursed his lips together and rolled his head in anger. He would have played into his father's hand in the past but he wasn't to succumb to him anymore. Noticing this Lionel tried again. "You've got much more patience than before too. My son the family man. And friends with Clark Kent again – my, your life is different." Lionel moved closer to Lex and whispered in his ear.

Lois had since moved to the small group as a couple of guards approached. "Lois, can you get me something that Lex owns – I have an idea," Moira whispered.

Lois glanced at Moira. "He's on our side now. I know it's going to be hard to…"

"Trust me," Moira cut off. Trusting that Moira was well intentioned, Lois felt in her pocket for a pen that Lex had given her in the car. She handed it to her. Moira closed her eyes and then handed the pen back to Lois.

"What did you do?" Lois whispered.

"Wait."

To Clark's surprise, Lex leaned over and gave his father a bear hug and almost smiled. Clark glared at Lex as Lionel smirked in approval. "Ok boys, bring my son in and take care of the rest of these people. Return our acquisitions to the proper place."

"Lex, what the hell?" Clark grabbed him by the collar as Lionel turned toward the door.

"Give this to Moira, and trust me." Lex whispered as he acted like he threw Clark against the wall and followed his father into the small room where he spotted Chloe. Lionel closed the door behind them, leaving the guards with the small band. Facing the guards, Lois and Clark nodded at each other and started at them. The two took out the three men easily with the help of the small band of helpers.

Clark walked over to Moira and carefully handed her the object that Lex gave her.


	34. Saving Sullivan

Chapter 36 – Saving Sullivan

Lionel flipped the lights on in the rest of the cell revealing to Lex the position that his wife was in. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Finishing your 33.1 project. It was just convenient that you gave me the perfect specimen." Reaching over to the mike, he called, "You may proceed."

Lex started toward his father as his father pulled a gun on him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I told you that someday you would make everyone hate you and from the tears in her eyes, I see that she thinks that you're in on it." Lex stopped and looked at his wife. "Lex, she saw you and I walk in here with our arms around each other. What does she think?"

He read her face and tears. He read her lips. "You bastard," she mouthed as she turned away from him as the doctor picked up the first utensil and sat down in front of her outstretched legs.

Lex felt ill. He couldn't do anything but watch his father take his firstborn. "An eye for an eye son." Just as he said so, Lex cringed watching the doctor move toward his wife, who still didn't look at him. Concentrating on her, he didn't notice the gun had moved until the shot rang out.

Looking at his father, he had shot the doctor in the back. He raced for the door and ran into the room. Chloe screamed as she pushed the doctor's body off her with her foot. She glanced over and saw Lex crying as he ran up to her. Grabbing her off the table, he pulled her to the floor and covered her with his body and coat. Peeking out behind the neckline of his coat, he could just see his father turn the gun on himself and shoot. Jerking away, he chocked.

"What happened?" Chloe popped her head up as she heard the gun go off, "Lex, are you ok?" She started feeling his back for bullet marks and then looked up. "Lex, your dad."

Lex turned around and uncovered her slightly. He winced as he looked at his father, or what was left of him. Chloe buried her face in his chest. "Are you ok?" Lifting her chin, he was nervous. "Chloe I didn't have…" Chloe covered his open mouth with a kiss as he could feel her tears touch his cheek.

Clark and Lois entered the room with the rest of the gang and covered their mouth. Lionel was …everywhere. Lex pulled Chloe up and walked out into the room with her and out the door. Clark and Lois followed the two.

"You ok cuz?" Lois wrapped her arms around Chloe.

"I'm fine all things considered. What happened?" Lex, Lois, Chloe, and Clark stood confused as the small group followed them out.

"I couldn't let him hurt my little baby." Chloe looked up from Lex's arms. Moira looked confused and afraid that her daughter was in Lex Luthor's arms. Lex loosened hus grip as Chloe pulled away.

"Mom." Chloe wrapped her arms around Moira as Moira started kissing her on the top of the head.

"It's going to be okay. It's over."

Lex passed up Chloe, rubbing her shoulder and patting Moira on the back as he went back in the room where his father was. He closed his eyes in thought and huffed.

"I'm sorry man," Clark stated.

"I'm not," he replied, not looking at Clark. "This is what should have happened a long time ago." He paused for a moment. Turning and looking at Clark, he sighed, "Are we ok? I mean you seemed really angry out there earlier. I had …"

"We're ok. It's just for the longest time, it was so hard to believe you. Anyway, this time you didn't pull the trigger and that's what matters." Clark stood with Lex for a little longer as he could see Lex reliving memories fast and furious. "Let's go. You need to take care of Chloe."

"Good riddance dad." He turned and left the room.

* * *

"Well, that takes care of everything." Lex moved out behind his computer as he hung up the phone. He sat down on the couch next to Chloe and her mother. Clark, Lois, and Senator Kent sat on the couch across. "It seems I did a lot more things than I thought in my brief 'separation.' I let my father out of prison and started up some wild secret project."

Jonathon leaned over and looked over the documents that Chloe and Lex had put together in the last few days. "Are you still keeping tabs on these people? Lex, they don't trust you as it is – you need to leave these people alone."

"It's just customary surveillance – nothing more. They are all trying to live as normal lives as they could before my father started collecting them and deserve to go back to those lives. I just helped them."

"By employing them in your plants? Sounds like another one of the Luthor schemes." Jonathon threw a daggered look back at his son when Clark whispered for him to cool it.

"No scheme Senator Kent, they're just more protected there," Chloe interluded as Lex put his hand on her knee to tell her to kindly stay out of it. He watched as Jonathon backed off the topic and moved on.

"So, what now for them?"

"They all have homes, can go back to their families and live normally. If trouble begins again for them, now they're taken care of." Lex sat back in the seat and put his arm around Chloe, who smiled at Jonathon. Lois felt that something was fishy but it had been years since Lex pulled a fast one, so she let her fears go. "Now, I hate to be a rude host, but I think Chloe and her mom would like some time alone."

Lex walked out of the room with Lois, Clark, and Jonathon and then returned to see Chloe and Moira in deep conversation. Sitting down on the couch across from them, he marveled at the amount the two could share in such a short amount of time. He got up and walked over to ring a maid. The maid entered and slightly glanced at Lex.

"Jasmine, please set up the guest room and call the Saks in Metropolis for whatever a woman would need." Chloe looked up and grinned from ear to ear. Turning to see her, he mouthed, "what size?" Turning back to Jasmine, he saw that she slightly smiled at him. He actually got an emotional overture from a servant. "Size 10," he stated as he pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Sir?"

"Go, take the helicopter and get her shopping done. I'll call and let them know you're coming. And get something nice for yourself." Jasmine stood and waited for the punchline but turned and walked quickly as she didn't want to hear Lex renege on the offer.

Lex returned to the couch to catch the end of the conversation. He heard Moira explain that the ability had also caused her the catatonic state that she was in the last time Chloe had seen her. He saw how Chloe's heart dropped when she explained that she would return to that state if she wasn't medicated.

"Who funded the project?"

She leaned forward and looked at Lex, peering at him disdainfully. "You did – you locked me up – you made me take pills and do things, and then one day you were gone. You didn't return until you were with your father in the caves in Idaho. That was when you moved us. So forgive me – I may have helped you back at Luthorcorp by killing your father but I don't trust you."

"Mom!"

"Honey, the Luthors have been the bane of my existence since I was taken from you when you were eight. Now, I understand that he saved you and your father and that's noble. And I realize that was when he dropped all of his projects and we were all left to fend for ourselves just to collected up again by the evil twin. But honey," Chloe clasped her hands around her mother's. She halfway smiled at Lex who was rubbing his chin and visibly uncomfortable.

"Mom, I trust him. I have not wanted to for a long time," she glanced at Lex as he squinted in confusion and hurt. "But I know that he would do anything for me. And you. Mom, I love him – we're having your grandchild. Mom, give him – this Luthor a chance."

Moira shrugged and hugged her daughter. "Ok, I'll give him a chance."

Lex got up from the couch and squeezed Moira's shoulder as he passed her. He could see her give him a passing smile of hope and suspicion. "Hello. Yes, I need the file on Moira Sullivan before you destroy all of them. Send it over immediately as well as any records of the treatments that she was receiving at all her locations. No, just hers – the rest need to be burned. Thank you."

Chloe smiled at Lex as he hung up the phone and signaled he was leaving where she and her mom could be alone.


	35. Epilogue

Chapter 37 – Epilogue

"Hold still Lois. It's bad enough you make me wear this getup at this size but you can't fidget this much. You're going to give Clark a run for his money if you both move around this fast." Chloe yanked the ribbon harder and tied the bow. "Ok, turn around. You look good."

"Thanks – that makes me feel so … good."

"Look, I didn't want to steal that breathtaking 'you're gorgeous' that you should get from Clark." Lois moved back in front of the mirror as she adjusted a couple of curls on her shoulder.

"Hey girls, we've got to go." Moira smiled as Chloe walked out the door. Lois stood in front of the mirror and stared. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and walked out the door.

* * *

"So this is what nervous feels like?" Lex and Jonathon laughed as Clark seemed to turn green as he approached the bottom of the front steps. 

"Son, you're going to do fine." Jonathon patted his son on the back as his mother hugged him.

"Hey, come here." Lex pulled Clark aside as Jonathon and Martha looked on. "Your father gave me this when I married Helen. Wow, that was a memory. Anyway, I want you to have it back in your family." Lex handed Clark the compass and shook his hand. Martha pointed the gesture out to Jonathon who saw Lex look up and nodded in approval.

Moira came out of the house and tapped the preacher on the shoulder. "We're ready."

"Let's go get you hitched." Lex grabbed Clark's shoulders and shoved him up the aisle and into his place at the end of a very overly decorated front yard, courtesy of Lex buying out the town florist. He shook hands with Pete, who had come back for the event. Pete scowled at Lex but Lex could only smile back at him. Clark took a deep breath and watched as he saw a couple of faces he didn't know come around the corner.

He heard Lex take a deep breath as he watched his wife gingerly walk down the front steps with Sam Lane's help. Walking halfway up the aisle, he took her arm. "Hey, you ok? You look a little tired?"

"Yeah, uhh look at me," she chided.

"You're beautiful," he responded as he kissed her before they separated at the altar.

Clark's eyes focused as his mouth dropped. She was breathtaking. She smiled at him all the way down the aisle, almost skipping. After her father grudgingly gave his permission, Clark took her hand. "You're stunning."

"Thank you - so are you Smallville." Clark looked at her annoyed. She smiled even bigger at him as they faced the preacher.

* * *

Lex, Lois, Chloe, Clark, and his parents sat around a round table laughing about Clark trying to put the ring on the wrong finger during the ceremony but were startled. "Sorry I missed the wedding." Clark's eyes widened as everyone else but Lois shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "I'm just so glad that I got to say congrats to you." Clark eased up out of the seat. 

Lois watched slightly perturbed as the little brunette threw her arms around Clark and kissed him on the cheek. "Hi." Loosening up a little, he smiled and let her go. "It's great to see you, but how did you…"

"Oh, I still read the Daily Planet and evidently Chloe had a little talk with the guy on the wedding page as your engagement photo took up like a quarter page." She stopped and hugged him again and giggled. Chloe and Lex rolled their eyes and glanced over at the Kents who shrugged in disbelief. Lex rubbed his forehead and shook his head. This isn't going to be pretty. He looked at Chloe who pestered him to intervene. Slightly standing, he ceased his movements.

"Hi, my name is Lois Lane _Kent_." Lois stood up and announced flatly as Lex and Chloe started giggling watching Lois push her way between Clark and Lana. "Honey, aren't you going to introduce me?" she said coyly.

"Yeah, sorry. Lois, this is Lana Lang." Lois turned around and looked at Chloe in disgust. Chloe grimaced, a "sorry."

"Lana Teague now. Come here honey." Lex and Chloe looked at each other approvingly – she moved on too. "This is Jason and that's Jack and Lauren. I really didn't mean for us to crash your party but I had to see this for myself. Lois, I really hope you two are happy together."

Lois raised an eyebrow at her and accepted the hug from Lana. The four of them continued exchanging pleasantries.

Chloe pursed her lips together and closed her eyes. Lex had moved to talk Jonathon when Martha tapped him on the shoulder. "Yes?"

"Lex, it's Chloe…" Lex could see her concentrating on something by rolling her head and clinching her fists.

"What's wrong?" Lex knelt beside Chloe's chair and took one of her hands in his. Rubbing her back he waited for an answer but just got her closing her eyes tighter and clenching his hand. Clark had cut off Lana as Lois turned around when Chloe grabbed the back of her dress. Lana moved around the table to see Chloe. She grinned sweetly.

"I know that look," she chirped as she took Chloe's hand in hers. Lex looked at her as if she had interrupted yet another moment. Chloe smiled back at her and squeezed Lana's outstretched hand and nodded in agreement.

"It's time," Chloe whispered to Lex.

* * *

**THE END****A/N - Thanks for all the readers...Please keep reading my other stories...**


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